SA Golf Trader - Mar/Apr Q&A with Derek Muggeridge, Golf Course Superintendant Leopard Creek CC.

1. When did you realise that turf management was the industry you wanted to take further?

I studied landscape technology, after beginning my working career in the landscape maintenance field I worked my way into golf course maintenance.

The challenge of maintaining and presenting a golf course has kept me hooked, as well as the variety of other projects that go hand in hand with golf clubs and estates.

2. What is the best and worst part of being a golf course superintendent?

Working in the outdoor environment is always rewarding and challenging, the worst part is there are no quick fixes in this job!

3. You are at Leopard Creek, which recently underwent a major change in the grasses on course, what were the reasons for this big change?

Improving the playability of the course was a primary objective, selecting grasses that would create firm and fast playing conditions at any time of the year was the challenge.

Secondly the sustainability of the golf course in the short and long term. Reducing resource use, primarily water, fertilizer and fuel. The grasses selected are drought tolerant, heat tolerant and more adapted to our local climate.

The majority of Golf Clubs DO NOT DEDICATE enough resources to bunker maintenance

4. What are your biggest challenges that you face in maintaining these type of grasses?

Cynodons must be maintained with regular light treatments, verticutting, preventative disease control and sand dusting are examples.

Excessive fertilization will result in excess growth and the need to aggressively treat the turf, this in turn leads to longer recovery times and ultimately annoyed golfers!

5. What are the differences in grasses (fairway, rough, greens) at Leopard Creek as opposed to other parts of the country?

Leopard Creek was planted with cynodon fairways and rough, cynodon is an indigenous grass and suited to our climate. The majority of South African courses will have kikuyu, an exotic grass, as the fairway and natural veld grasses for their rough.

The greens are planted with ultradwarf cynodon grass. Bentgrass is predominantly used in the “cooler” parts of the country and standard cynodons or paspalums in the subtropical and drier parts.

6. Does one need different machinery on course for different types of grasses around the country?

The basic machinery is the same throughout the country, however specialized machinery may be used to on different courses to assist with their specific needs, we need to verticut our fairways regularly and for this we have dedicated equipment to speed up the process for example.

Golfing etiquette dictates that golfers should be leaving the course in the best possible shape for following golfers. If they are not repairing they are only making the course worse for fellow golfers

7. How big a difference does climate and altitude play in golf course maintenance?

Climate plays a huge part in course maintenance and grass selection. Critical factors are day-time and night-time temperatures as well and seasonal variations.

Light intensity and humidity are affected by altitude and geographic location, these are critical for photosynthesis, growth potential and basic turf potential.

8. To what extent does course setup affect slow play, and how do you deal with it?

There is a definite correlation between the two, green speeds and heavy rough are the two factors the most to blame. Maintaining a standard that allows golfers to enjoy the course but not making it penal given a good balance.

9. In your opinion does golf course machinery or golfers spread more diseases or seeds like Poa?

Golf course equipment aids in spreading seed and disease, golfers inflict damage to the turf, for example pitchmarks and foot traffic which create locations for weed and disease development. They are both part of the problem but you can’t have one without the other!

10. Do you think golf courses should close for a day to do maintenance?

Definitely, the productivity and tasks that the course staff are able to be achieved on maintenance day are well worth the loss of revenue, the club should also be saving on overtime by having a day off for all other staff.

11. Do maintenance staff ever come into conflict with golfers?

This can happen if not managed by all parties, golfers need to respect the work being done by the course staff and they must be given time to completed their tasks and visa-versa the course staff must respect golfers when the course is open for play.

12. How important is it for golfers to repair their divots and pitch marks immediately?

Golfing etiquette dictates that golfers should be leaving the course in the best possible shape for following golfers. If they are not repairing they are only making the course worse for fellow golfers.

From an agronomic perspective with the grasses at Leopard Creek it does not make much difference in recovery time.

13. People always complain about inconsistent bunkers, how difficult is it to maintain consistent bunkers?

Inconsistent bunkers is because of inconsistent maintenance, however the majority of Golf Clubs DO NOT DEDICATE enough resources to bunker maintenance.

Resources for bunker maintenance are staff, equipment, construction method, additional irrigation, regular sand purchases and maintenance time, these are all required to produce consistent bunkers.