Trials and Tribulations

If you have used the chipping green in the last 6 months you may have noticed several odd patches of turf.  Some look like they were burned, others off color.  We have been conducting trials with Virginia Tech looking at various combination products for the elimination of poa annua and poa trivial is on putting greens and fairways.

The trial on the chipping green was looking at 7 different products or combinations of products, replicated 3 times.  These trials at golf courses under real world conditions help the university as well as the industry understand how these products work from year to year and area to area.  We hope to be able to continue research work with VT to gain valuable insight into product development and programs that may benefit us in the future.

The fairway trial on 13 was looking at Poa Trivialis eradication and elimination.  The goal to to find the best method to slowly eliminate this weed, and/or provide a method to keep populations low so that normal practices can prevent it's spread.  One of the results has been how different varieties of the species react, since not all the Poa is identical.  Seems odd, but some are affected more in the fall than the spring, while others did not see any effect from the applications.

The picture above is not a test plot, but a plea.  We placed these signs at the top of 8 fairway to attempt to get your attention to the slope ahead and to protect the turf on the slope.  We ask that you avoid the steep section of the fairway in your cart and use the rough until you get to the flatter areas at the bottom.   Too  many times we have repaired this area due to carts going directly over the top and then applying brakes to stop at their ball but skidding and damaging turf.  Like all areas on the course, we ask that you try to be mindful of other members using the course and prevent potential damage when possible.

We often see carts cross this boundary and simply drive around the stakes.  We do not wish to rope off the entire hill as that is not only unattractive, but time consuming for staff to setup and remove.  Please ask those in your group to observe the stakes and preserve this fairway for all to enjoy.

New Right green at Hole 5

If you played this weekend then you know we have opened the right green on hole 5.  We closed and replaced the grass on this green last fall using a new variety of creeping bent grass called Luminary.   Why try something new?  Well in the search for what works best at our course, we have very few options.  Until last fall we did not have a nursery anywhere large enough to test new varieties of bent grass for our new greens.

Grasses are continually being developed and breed for better characteristics.  Lower water inputs, less thatch, reduced disease while providing better putting quality.  A lot of grasses are introduced into the National Bentgrass Trials that are conducted all over the United States.  As most things, newer varieties bring advances that the older grasses did not have.  In order to test these grasses in real world situations on our course only two methods work,  seed or sod.

So why pick 5 green and why Luminary?  Well the only place we have two greens is 5, and Luminary has been at the top of the ratings for the past 4 years.  Is this the grass we are going to use on the course?  Maybe.....  this is why we want to put something into play and see how it reacts.  We need to evaluate how it takes various maintenance operations while determining if it can withstand traffic and play.

Remember we must give the sod farm our choice of seeds to plant next spring for harvesting the following summer, so that leaves us little time to determine what is best for our course.  How good of a test this will be is difficult to determine.  The sod was grown at a farm we are not familiar with, then we placed it on a green that is one of the most problematic on the course.  Built with bunker sand, modified multiple times and very small with shade issues.  If this grass plays well here, then everywhere else should be easy.

What you will notice is the green will look different, possibly coarser texture, and the ball may not roll out as well.  This is all to be expected in the beginning as we work out grain and thatch from the sod farm.  In addition we will be putting the turf under different chemical controls to see how it reacts.   Again, remember we have a very limited time to make our decisions and evaluate our options.  Number 8 green is 007, 5 left green is A4, 5 right Luminary, and there are other varieties such as V8, Pure distinction, Barracuda and others that all have favorable ratings but there issues as well.  In fact we looked at over 20 sod farms and could only find Luminary at one, the other varieties at none.    This is a difficult process and one we take very seriously, we will be putting this green under various stresses but it is our one chance to see how it holds up to our conditions.

I will be updating our evaluations as we progress through the year.  If you have any questions please wave me down and I will be happy to discuss our thoughts.