United States Golf Association Mid-Atlantic Region Green Section 485 Baltimore Pike, Suite 203 Glen Mills, Pennsylvania 19342 (610) 558-9066, FAX (610) 558-1135
USGA GREEN SECTION TURF ADVISORY SERVICE REPORT SANDY RUN COUNTRY CLUB Oreland, Pennsylvania August 25, 2011 PRESENT: Dan Flynn, Green Committee Steve Kennedy, Green Committee Michael Lopper, Interim Golf Professional Alex Leonard, Assistant Superintendent Jack Mood, Golf Course Superintendent Darin Bevard, USGA Green Section
Sandy Run Country Club
August 31, 2011
INTRODUCTION The following report is offered to summarize the major points of discussion during our meeting at Sandy Run Country Club on Thursday, August 25, 2011. This report will include observations, suggestions and recommendations made during our tour of your facility. Certain areas of the golf course provided evidence of the difficult growing season that was experienced this year. The worst area as we toured the golf course was your Thirteenth green which suffered significant turfgrass loss. With better weather, this green should recover, or at least improve, very quickly. We will have more on this topic later in the report. In fairways, the majority of the turfgrass held-up well. There were areas of south facing slopes that had declined. As a whole, the fairways held-up very well and should only continue to improve through the late summer and fall. Mechanical damage was a significant factor in turf loss on approaches, collars and green surrounds. Some of this damage occurred due to DryJect aeration. Other damage appeared to be related to core aeration and sand topdressing as well as the turning of mowers. These mechanical problems are not new. However, they are worse this year than what they have been in the past. Limiting this damage needs to be a point of focus. Many different topics were discussed during our tour of the golf course. Our goal is to offer suggestions to provide quick recovery in damaged areas and recommendations to potentially prevent some of this damage from occurring in the future. GREENS 1. Thirteenth Green. The Thirteenth green suffered the most damage during the growing season. For sure, the growing environment around the Thirteenth green is not the best and should be addressed. Anthracnose disease was active on the green on the day of our visit. The number one priority is gaining recovery on the green in the short-term. A. Anthracnose. To control anthracnose, reduce the spray interval to 7-days and use curative rates of fungicides labeled for anthracnose. Combination products such as Instrata, or tankmix of products such as Endorse, Daconil and Heritage should be considered among others. The first step in gaining recovery in damaged areas of the Thirteenth green is to control anthracnose which appears to be a major cause of the turf decline that occurred. B. Fertility. A rate of 1/10-1/8th lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. should be applied every 7-days to help combat anthracnose. Additionally, these fertilizer applications will stimulate the growth of the existing grass to aid in recovery.
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Research clearly illustrates that nitrogen fertility is a major factor in keeping anthracnose under control.
This was the Thirteenth green on the day of our visit. The yellowing that is visible in this picture is a symptom of anthracnose. With more aggressive fertility in conjunction with creeping bentgrass overseeding, the playability of this green should improve.
C. Overseeding. Overseed with creeping bentgrass on approximately a 7-day interval until you are satisfied that the combination of new seedlings and the existing turfgrass will be enough to provide recovery in a timely manner. Usually, a single overseeding is not adequate to provide recovery in these situations. D. Tree Management. Several trees around the Thirteenth green were discussed for removal. The Pin Oak to the right of the greenside bunker provides shade for the Thirteenth green and also provides a mess for the bunker with debris. This tree should be considered for removal. Additionally, the declining Ash tree to the back right of the green as well as two or even three Spruce trees were pointed out for potential removal. None of the trees mentioned are Specimens. The Thirteenth green will likely perform better if some or all of the trees mentioned above can be removed.
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The playability of the Thirteenth green should improve fairly quickly in the short-term. Controlling anthracnose is very important at this point in the growing season. For the long-term, tree removal to improve the growing environment of the Thirteenth green should be considered. Improving the growing environment will improve the reliability of the Thirteenth green. 2. Scalping and Aeration. Patches of bentgrass were being scalped on several of your greens. In our opinion, this scalping is related to environmental conditions in conjunction with slight lifting and heaving from aeration. We do not believe this is a DryJect issue specifically because we have seen it at other facilities that have not used DryJect. The hot, wet weather causes creeping bentgrass to get puffy and be more prone to scalping. Generally, with aeration and topdressing this condition subsides fairly quickly. The problems experienced on your greens with DryJect appear to be more a result of the wet weather conditions experienced at the time of aeration rather than a problem with the DryJect strategy. It is worth noting that significant damage also occurred on the collars from your standard core aeration practices. If you do not wish to continue with DryJect aeration, it is up to you. However, DryJect is a tool that is used by many of the golf courses we visit. Do not rush to judgment on this aeration technique based on a single application. 3. Sand-Based Greens. Overall, your new greens held-up well. Some problems were experienced on the Tenth green earlier in the growing season. Again, this appeared to be related to mechanical abrasion to the turfgrass. Nonetheless, your newer greens exhibited good density and generally complete turf cover. The one thing you need to continue to keep up with is nitrogen fertility. Sand greens will require 4-5 lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. on an annual basis. Use a variety of nitrogen sources including natural organics and readily-available granular and liquid fertilizers. As a whole, your sand-based greens will require more aggressive fertility than your soil-based greens. In addition to nitrogen fertility, in reviewing the soil tests for the Tenth and Eighteenth greens, a granular micronutrient package should also be applied. While these nutrients are also supplied through your liquid sprays, increasing soil levels of micronutrients is also important. Consult with your fertilizer suppliers with regard to different granular micronutrient packages that are available. One final topic related to your sand-based greens is Poa annua control. In our opinion, it is no longer worthwhile to implement aggressive Poa annua control on these greens. For one thing, if a decision was ever made to regrass the greens at Sandy Run Country Club, these new greens would be regrassed as well. Thus, allowing Poa annua to gradually encroach into these greens will lead to better consistency over time. 4. Collar Damage. The physical damage caused on the collars from aeration and Dryject notwithstanding, mechanical issues have been an issue on the collars at Sandy Run Country Club for several years. Sandy Run Country Club is not alone in this
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problem. Challenges with the collars do not discriminate between high budget, moderate budget or low budget courses. The bottom line is that we are performing more mowing, rolling, etc. on greens than ever before in an effort to promote green speed. This means that collars are traversed with equipment at an extraordinary rate, and the turfgrass simply cannot tolerate it. This is especially true during the heat of the summer when growth rate of the grass is slow. Different options are available to try to reduce the severity of this problem. A. Mowing Height. In our travels, reducing the mowing height on collars actually helps them to better tolerate traffic. We commonly see collars mowed at 0.300 to 0.375 inch. At times, it can be difficult to have a different cutting height on the collars than it is on the approaches due to manpower and equipment. Nonetheless, having a dedicated mower to take care of the collars at a lower mowing height may help. B. Fertility. Light granular fertilizer applications on the collars also help. Generally, natural organic fertilizers are applied at a rate of 1/2 lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. every 21-28 days. A drop spreader can be used so that the collars can be treated site specifically. With increased traffic, you need increased fertility. C. Topdressing Sand. Be careful with the application of topdressing around your collars. Oftentimes, collars perform well for much of the growing season. Heavy topdressing at the time of aeration and subsequent dragging leads to mechanical damage on the collars. Topdressing is like sandpaper and is very abrasive to the leaf tissue of your higher cut collars. D. Mats. In recent years, plastic mats approximately 1/8 inch thick and 2 feet in width have been popular to provide protection on collars. Use of these mats is labor intensive. However, they have a dramatic impact on the overall quality of your collars. Your mowers can turn on the mats to reduce stress on the collars and surrounding rough. Even if mats are only utilized during the heat of the summer, it's a big advantage to keep the turfgrass in better condition. This may be a maintenance option that you consider to prevent the damage that has occurred on your collars over the past couple of growing seasons. 5. Mechanical Damage. Mechanical damage in general around your greens was significant. The approach on the Eleventh and Fifteenth holes were both severely damaged. The contours present in these areas contribute to these challenges. However, efforts must be made to avoid this type of damage. Less frequent mowing under environmental stress, the use of protective mats as mentioned above, even site specific aeration to improve overall soil conditions in these areas should be considered. Every effort should be made to avoid this type of mechanical damage. Remember, these areas can be aerated at virtually any time that the ground is not frozen to provide improvement in soil conditions. It does not have to be performed in season when resources are less available because of other agronomic needs. The environmental
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stresses of the season are difficult to deal with. Try to minimize self inflicted mechanical damage, or at least be aware of these sensitive areas.
The overall condition of most of the greens was very good with the exception of some mechanical damage on edges and collars. In the future, try to be aware of some of these weak areas during the course of routine maintenance and aeration programs. Especially be aware of sand accumulations around edges and on collars during aeration.
6. Collar Conversion, Third Green. Part of your bentgrass collar is actually growing on soil rather than mix on the back of the Third green. This has created challenges with maintenance. In our opinion, the best option is to determine where your new rough contour will be established to the back right of this green. You can then strip the creeping bentgrass and resod with Kentucky bluegrass. Do not simply allow creeping bentgrass to grow to rough height. Sodding this small area to provide good definition was recommended. FAIRWAYS 1. Stressed Areas. The overall condition of the fairways was very good. There were isolated areas of stressed grass that need to be addressed. In our opinion, most of
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these areas suffered from physiological stress. Mr. Mood indicated that in at least two of the areas, irrigation heads failed to function properly and the grass suffered from drought stress. With the high temperatures that were experienced at the same time, some of the grass was killed. Most of the grass went dormant and was actually beginning to recover at the time of our visit.
The slope on the Third fairway had some of the most significant turf thinning. The fairways as a whole held up well. These stressed areas will require overseeding to expedite recovery.
Wherever necessary, we recommend overseeding of the affected areas. Whether you use slit seeding or aeration and drop seeding is up to you. Some of the more heavily damaged areas (such as the slope on the approach end of the Third fairway) will need to be overseeded to promote recovery. 2. Tenth Approach. The Tenth approach has improved since the reconstruction of this golf hole. However, the walk-on/walk-off area of the approach and rough struggles each year. Thus, more intense maintenance programs need to be considered to prevent this damage from occurring. Unfortunately, the design of this green dictates that the majority of traffic will walk on and off of this green in the same area. This approach area and surrounding rough may require specialized care in the form of core aeration as
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well as the addition of natural organic fertilizers to provide a slow, steady feed for the turf. Again, this is a problem area. However, that simply means it requires greater effort to maintain turfgrass quality. 3. Sodded Areas. When the Thirteenth and Fourteenth holes were renovated, portions of fairways were sodded with creeping bentgrass. Each year, portions of these sodded areas struggle during the heat of the summer. In our experience, these struggles are related to soil conditions, especially at the interface of the sod and underlying soil. To that end, these areas should receive core aeration above and beyond that of the existing fairways. Again, where there are problem areas, you must give them special attention until they begin performing as well as the turfgrass in general. The same maintenance techniques for well established turfgrass will not provide enough inputs for some of these relatively newly established areas. Irrigation coverage for these areas should also be evaluated. Sometimes, these expansion areas do not receive adequate irrigation coverage from the existing irrigation system. It can be necessary to move or add heads to provide proper coverage. 4. Perennial Ryegrass Control. One topic that we discussed during our visit was the availability of Corsair herbicide for controlling perennial ryegrass in creeping bentgrass. Corsair is still available for purchase. NuFarm bought Riverdale Corporation who made Corsair. Corsair is still available through NuFarm. At least, this is the information that we were given when we inquired about this product. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Rough Damage. With the exception of renovated areas on the golf course. Your roughs are generally composed of a mixture of different grasses. Creeping bentgrass, Poa annua, Poa trivialis, tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, etc. are all present in your roughs. At certain times of the growing season, one or more of these different grasses will struggle. Poa annua generally declines first. Poa trivialis goes dormant under hot conditions. Rough height creeping bentgrass simply dies as it did to the rear of your Fifteenth green. In the short-term, aggressive aeration and/or overseeding with a combination of turftype tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass should be considered in these damaged areas. This will provide improvement in overall conditions. The long-term solution, especially in many of your green surrounds, is probably to strip and sod some of these poor performing areas. The mixture of grasses present in your rough will have different sensitivities to herbicides that need to be applied for weed control. Thus, there is a good chance you will have not only environmental stress, but you will also have stress from applied herbicides at certain times of the year. Perfect uniformity is not necessary in the rough. However, somewhat uniform turf is easier to take care of. 2. Bermudagrass Control. Bermudagrass is present to varying degrees in several turfgrass areas. The rough to the right of the Eighth approach as well as the left side of
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your green surrounds on the First hole have bermudagrass present. Mr. Mood is right in believing that bermudagrass will continue to spread over time, especially if we continue to have weather conditions during the summer like we have had in 2010 and 2011. Complete control of bermudagrass in other cool-season turf is difficult. However, bermudagrass can be suppressed with a variety of herbicides. A combination of Acclaim-Extra and Turflon-Ester has proven to be injurious to bermudagrass. TurflonEster can be applied at a rate 3/4 oz. of actual product per 1,000 sq. ft. Acclaim-Extra can be applied at 0.6 oz. per 1,000 sq. ft. Keep in mind that this combination is only for your rough. Do not apply to fairway height turf. Consider experimenting with this herbicide combination to see the results provided. It will generally take more than one application to provide control. Of course, where bermudagrass populations are isolated to small patches such as to the right of the Eighth approach, multiple applications of Roundup followed with aggressive overseeding with rough grasses is an option. 3. Acid Injection. Mr. Mood indicated that acid injection has been discussed as an option for your irrigation system. In our experience, acid injection has provided positive results with regard to turfgrass and water management. Considering the high pH of some of the water that you use for irrigation, acid injection is probably a worthwhile investment. Acid injection will help with water infiltration during the heat of the summer. 4. Naturalized Areas. The fescue areas behind the Seventh green are a source of frustration. In the short-term, these areas can be mowed down to provide a cleaner appearance. Once they are mowed down, do not hesitate to apply a broadleaf herbicide to control weeds. Early next spring, consider a full rate application of a preemergence herbicide in these areas. Barricade or Pendimethalin are options to consider. Be sure these applications are in-place by April First. Again, a Full labeled rate should be used with preemergence herbicides. 5. Declining Trees. As we toured the golf course, the number of declining trees that we saw is alarming. For the most part, many of these trees will not greatly impact the overall golf course landscape. However, there is a cost associated with removing these trees. Whether the removal is done in-house or by an outside contractor, it will either require financial or labor resources from Sandy Run Country Club. We believe it is important to be aware of these potential costs. CONCLUSION The early end to the summer heat has provided opportunity for recovery of damaged areas that normally would not occur until after Labor Day. To that end, take advantage of the good growing weather. Maintain moderate nitrogen fertilizer inputs to encourage recovery. Remember, areas that are not performing at the desired level will need
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special attention to recover as quickly as possible. Regular maintenance inputs are not adequate to address these areas. This concludes our summary of the major points of discussion during our visit and tour of your golf course. If any questions arise concerning this visit, our report or any other area, please feel free to call our office. We are here to help. Sincerely,
Darin S. Bevard Senior Agronomist
DSB:tb Jack Mood, Golf Course Superintendent Mike Lagreca, President Jim Lyons, Green Committee Chairman
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