Golf Course Superintendent Ready to Answer Any Questions You May Have

[BNGL]

Having played "resort" area courses, stadard public and private courses they all seem to have differing ideas of whether or not to overseed fairways. Resort courses in the Myrtle Beach area overseed as the package players want to see a green course, completely understandable. The course I grew up on lightly overseeded and the super said he mainly did it to help with rainy winters. At least that is what i was told by the members. This made sense as I had bermuda grass when i lived at the beach and i overseeded each winter some areas of the backyard and it helped with wet winters.

 

If this is the case why dont more private courses at least do light overseeding? Ive heard many people say in spring the bermuda is hurt by the overseed grass and it stunts the wake up from dormancy. Is that true?

 

It depends. I have read some literature that overseeding year in year out can adversely affect the dormant grasses when it comes to wake up. I used to work at a club in Orlando that overseeded wall to wall, and it stripped up phenomenally well. We did that to attract those from up north to our emerald green fairways. Now I'm at one of the most exclusive clubs in world, and we don't seed (part of the reason why is that we don't have much traffic). The problems that I see and know are, decreased weed control, increased nematode/bug activity, potential for disease. When turf goes dormant, there's not a lot that can happen. But it's good to have growing turf, because if there's damage to the course it'll heal up.

 

While there can be adversity when exiting dormancy periods, I was always pumping so much N into the plant to get it growing you can manage the bad effects if any. Personally I haven't dealt with big problems, the only problem I ever had was getting the seed to check out in areas that stayed wet/shaded.

 

Resort courses need to be wall to wall green, especially in an area so dependent on vacationers from colder locales. My members don't care, greens are firm and fast and fairways are nice and tight. We're starting to grow again, and spraying PGRs to manage plant growth.

 

It all depends on what each course wants. Seeding is getting more expensive, because harvests are yielding less and less each year (due to warmer temps affecting the plant). But with warmer temps, that means fewer courses may feel the need to seed.

[Golfnuck]

BNGL - thank you for starting and maintaining this thread. It is very useful.

 

At my club we hand rake our bunkers in the summer. Is this better than using a machine?

 

Is one method really better than the other or is the club just trying to be different?

 

 

Hand raked.

 

 

Machine raked.

 

[BNGL]

BNGL - thank you for starting and maintaining this thread. It is very useful.

 

At my club we hand rake our bunkers in the summer. Is this better than using a machine?

 

Is one method really better than the other or is the club just trying to be different?

 

 

Hand raked.

 

 

Machine raked.

 

 

There's not really significant benefits one versus the other. It largely comes down to manpower, we hand rake all of our bunkers. I will have two guys for fairway bunkers, and all the greens mowers will hand rake the bunkers on their route. If we have to turn the club quickly for an event we will use our sand pros.

[BNGL]

BNGL -

 

Thanks for your contributions here, you guys are the unsung heroes of this game we all enjoy!

 

I read an article this morning regarding the PGA Tour's new local rule that aims to limit relief from a players stance coming into contact with a bunker liner (as Hoffman & Berger pushed the boundaries last season).

 

In the article I read, there was a comment from the author about the recent adoption of spray-in liners (Billy Bunker or Capillary Concrete). The author's take on them was he "feels they are more fad than functional fix for sand contamintaion". Here in my area of the Midwest, I've seen several clubs make the switch in the past few years. Unfortunately, our club is not in a position where we can make the capex commitment to make the move in the foreseeable future. The feedback I've heard from guys at places with BBB has all been positive; both guys that play there and indirectly through our superintendent from his peers. Our super does a fantastic job, given the labor resources he has at his disposal, but bunker recovery time from heavy rainfall is a significant challenge.

 

The article I referenced above was the first "less than glowing" take I'd heard about the technology. Curious to know if you might have experience with or an opinion on their utility and lifespan?

 

Messaged you, please forward the article you are referencing. I'd like to read it before giving an answer.

 

Personally I've redone bunkers and just used traditional liners, but I'd like to try the new BB method, I have seen it done at a club a few years ago when they underwent renovation and their sand is still a marvelous playing surface lacking much contamination. The supers I know that have installed it love it, I hadn't heard many complaints about it myself. That's not to say that there aren't in other areas of the country. Big positive I have heard from Florida supers is that it greatly reduces washouts in bunker faces from the Florida summer rains. Which is a huge problem at almost every club I know of using traditional liners, not to say clubs with BB are immune it just reduces the severity of the washout.

 

Wait there is a product out there that will limit the amount of rebuilding bunkers I have to do (spend 2-3 days a week on the sand Pro)? With the amount of rain in Oregon I hope a course tries this out soon up here.

 

It can help mitigate the effects, but it's no cure by any means. There's still washouts, just not as big as before. Part of it might be the installation of G Angle sand, it's particles interlock to prevent loss from wind, I've seen research show it also helps prevent movement from water flow as well.

[howellhandmade]

Thank you very much for this thread, it's a significant investment of time.

 

What can a homeowner who practices chipping in his back yard and would like to improve the turf learn from you? I usually spread a few pounds of "sun and shade" seed every year but don't really do anything else other than cut it and mulch the fall leaves in. Western PA, usually wet summers, haven't watered, ever. I understand that there is an infinite number of combinations of factors that makes a specific answer impossible, but I'm wondering if I should be adding a different kind of seed, or some sand or something. It's not a real high quality lawn and I don't help by putting divots everywhere but nobody goes out there but me. Since you're here, what do you think?

[BNGL]

Thank you very much for this thread, it's a significant investment of time.

 

What can a homeowner who practices chipping in his back yard and would like to improve the turf learn from you? I usually spread a few pounds of "sun and shade" seed every year but don't really do anything else other than cut it and mulch the fall leaves in. Western PA, usually wet summers, haven't watered, ever. I understand that there is an infinite number of combinations of factors that makes a specific answer impossible, but I'm wondering if I should be adding a different kind of seed, or some sand or something. It's not a real high quality lawn and I don't help by putting divots everywhere but nobody goes out there but me. Since you're here, what do you think?

 

Little chipping areas should be manageable. What I'd do is if you have a target to pitch to, setup multiple stations. Nothing too big, say 3x5 throughout the yard so that you can switch locations than just wear one spot out. I'd think one 50 pound of seed would be plenty for up to 6 areas. I'd first spray the areas I wanted with roundup do two apps about 14 days apart, then cut it way down (as low as your mower will go) then spread the seed and water it. Maybe a little slow release N fertilizer from ACE Hardware once seeds germinate. You should have enough seed left over to spread seed and sand onto areas that have been played on so it stays nice all through the season. Feel free to message me with questions.

[mallrat]

BNGL - watching the Honda, why or is there, so much sand on the greens? When the balls land you can see it just kick up. Also the greens look pretty rough right now there, is there and reason for that?

[BNGL]

BNGL - watching the Honda, why or is there, so much sand on the greens? When the balls land you can see it just kick up. Also the greens look pretty rough right now there, is there and reason for that?

 

I was there this week, and had a couple buddies playing. Uhm the greens are nearly 20 years old I remember correctly, and are getting redone next summer plus we've been really dry the past month or so as well. As far as the sand, it's just to make it look green on tv. I'll take a picture of my greens which are extremely pure they're running 12 feet 4 inches as of this morning and firm. But they look like Word not allowed because of products we put down to stunt growth. Primo typically dings the turf turning it a brownish khaki color, typically you counter it by adding a little iron into the greens mix.

[BNGL]

 

 

This green has been single cut and rolled once, yeah it's not a uniform green. But it's healthy, turf is dense (no weeds), water percolates nicely and evenly, and most importantly putts spectacularly well and is receptive to properly struck golf shots. If this showed up on tv I'd imagine executives wouldn't be happy. But we're not on tv.

[mallrat]

Thanks.

 

It wasn’t the color that struck me but it was what looked like spike marks.

[BNGL]

Yeah that happens at the end of the day/week everyone walking all over and the grass cut so tight and firm.

[howellhandmade]

I have a question about Augusta. Watching the Masters, I'm struck by the closely mown banks of Rae's creek, all the way to the water. Impossible contours.

 

How do they do that?

[raynorfan1]

I have a question about Augusta. Watching the Masters, I'm struck by the closely mown banks of Rae's creek, all the way to the water. Impossible contours.

 

How do they do that?

 

Hover mower.

[Prntscrn]

How often are the greens, fairways, and rough cut at most courses? Can the whole course be cut in a day?

 

Hi aliikane,

 

Short answer no. Typically the whole course cannot be mowed in a day. At my club, greens are mowed everyday (Takes two mowers about 3 hours to do all 22 greens), barring extreme weather conditions or what not. Fairways ( 5 hours to do) and Tees (about 3 hours) are mowed Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Approaches and Collars are mowed everyday. Roughs are mowed every day as well, he typically gets 6 holes a day done, his job is just permanently roughs haha.

 

Now if there is a tournament or something special going I can definitely allocate labor and equipment to get everything minus roughs done before 11, we start at 6.

 

The PGA Tour event I volunteer at, now this an extreme example with many area supers volunteering time to help, but we start at 0430 am and can have the tees, fairways, greens, approaches, collars, the step cut from tee to fairway, bunkers raked, greens rolled, greens watered by 0900 am on the whole course, but that is 40 guys pushing it hard for one week.

 

Thanks for the question hope this answered it for you!

 

Poor guy. Do the club pay for his psychologist visits? :D I usually do the rough where I work aswell but there are two of us so we're done in two days and maybe go out again on friday afternoon to recut the worst spots. But there was a few months when I was by myself and that feeling of it never ending sucks haha, and I had fridays free from cutting rough since I usually was done in 4 days.

[BNGL]

I have a question about Augusta. Watching the Masters, I'm struck by the closely mown banks of Rae's creek, all the way to the water. Impossible contours.

 

How do they do that?

 

Fly mowers. Cool little machines that hover as you cut. But they'll take the pedestrian reel mowers as close as possible.

[caniac6]

I have a question about Augusta. Watching the Masters, I'm struck by the closely mown banks of Rae's creek, all the way to the water. Impossible contours.

 

How do they do that?

 

Fly mowers. Cool little machines that hover as you cut. But they'll take the pedestrian reel mowers as close as possible.

I went to a Carolinas Turf meeting in the mid 90s, and the super from ANGC was a speaker. He said they built flymowers that ran off the hydraulics on their utility vehicles. A guy asked about their budget, and he said they didn't have a budget, they just did what had to be done, and the members were billed at the end of the year.

[Schley]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

[BNGL]

I have a question about Augusta. Watching the Masters, I'm struck by the closely mown banks of Rae's creek, all the way to the water. Impossible contours.

 

How do they do that?

 

Fly mowers. Cool little machines that hover as you cut. But they'll take the pedestrian reel mowers as close as possible.

I went to a Carolinas Turf meeting in the mid 90s, and the super from ANGC was a speaker. He said they built flymowers that ran off the hydraulics on their utility vehicles. A guy asked about their budget, and he said they didn't have a budget, they just did what had to be done, and the members were billed at the end of the year.

 

Augusta National is a laboratory. So many good ideas come from Augusta National (both from a playing/grow the game side and agronomy side). Everyone here has heard of sub air, came from ANGC. As far as budget I can't attest to that.

[mallrat]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

 

We rope off directly in front of the end of the cart path or entry to the rough/fairway. Just the splittling of the carts in the summer keeps the turf healthy.

[BNGL]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

 

Caddies and walking only. Aside from that it's a battle that can't be won. As unnatural as it looks I've got stakes and nice braided rope, That we move everyday. It alleviates traffic until the area heals up. If you're doing a lot of rounds per day then it's a tougher battle. For me I only have 50 people a day tops on average. When I was in Orlando we did 225 per day everyday from December to may, and it sucked managing the traffic. I would advise natural paths, seems to minimize potholes and other uglies where the path turns to grass.

[mallrat]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

 

Caddies and walking only. Aside from that it's a battle that can't be won. As unnatural as it looks I've got stakes and nice braided rope, That we move everyday. It alleviates traffic until the area heals up. If you're doing a lot of rounds per day then it's a tougher battle. For me I only have 50 people a day tops on average. When I was in Orlando we did 225 per day everyday from December to may, and it sucked managing the traffic. I would advise natural paths, seems to minimize potholes and other uglies where the path turns to grass.

 

That is what we do and we average 75,000 rounds a year. There are a few spots that we just can’t do anything about (where the carts come off the 8th fairway to the cart path). But we don’t get any potholes just turns to bare turf.

 

Would types of grass have anything to do with it?

[Dancin]

TV golf is the worst thing that happened to golf in general. Color and looks shouldn't matter. I wish everyone could play a nice brown, firm and fast course once in their life and discover how great it is to be able to play shots on the ground.

[BNGL]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

 

Caddies and walking only. Aside from that it's a battle that can't be won. As unnatural as it looks I've got stakes and nice braided rope, That we move everyday. It alleviates traffic until the area heals up. If you're doing a lot of rounds per day then it's a tougher battle. For me I only have 50 people a day tops on average. When I was in Orlando we did 225 per day everyday from December to may, and it sucked managing the traffic. I would advise natural paths, seems to minimize potholes and other uglies where the path turns to grass.

 

That is what we do and we average 75,000 rounds a year. There are a few spots that we just cant do anything about (where the carts come off the 8th fairway to the cart path). But we dont get any potholes just turns to bare turf.

 

Would types of grass have anything to do with it?

 

There's some turf that's more resistant to wear, but if you're running 120 carts per day over the same 80 square feet, it's gunna damage the turf.

 

Actually getting rid of paths might not be such a bad idea....then traffic might not funnel into the same areas over and over again.

 

 

[BNGL]

TV golf is the worst thing that happened to golf in general. Color and looks shouldn't matter. I wish everyone could play a nice brown, firm and fast course once in their life and discover how great it is to be able to play shots on the ground.

 

I agree with this sentiment 100 percent. The PGA Tour (as an organization, not the players themselves) is truly one of the worst engines driving the growth of the game today. They're not meant to grow the game, they're meant to appease sponsors and make money. It's entertainment. People all the time see the courses in tv and say, "why can't I have that here."

One: you couldn't play and wouldn't enjoy shooting the scores you'd shoot.

Two: that costs a lot of money and time that most courses cannot afford. Just for example

 

We just had our biggest event of the season, and we got the place in the best shape I have ever seen (worked on tour, at US Opens, played some of the best courses in the world). I had 15 guys spend a total of 22.75 hours filling and repairing divots and ballmarks on greens. Over 340 man hours just repairing minimal damage.

 

But the people that pay my contract and who's patronage provides rent/mortgage payments wants wall to wall green. I'm so glad masters week is over lol.

[Schley]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

 

Caddies and walking only. Aside from that it's a battle that can't be won. As unnatural as it looks I've got stakes and nice braided rope, That we move everyday. It alleviates traffic until the area heals up. If you're doing a lot of rounds per day then it's a tougher battle. For me I only have 50 people a day tops on average. When I was in Orlando we did 225 per day everyday from December to may, and it sucked managing the traffic. I would advise natural paths, seems to minimize potholes and other uglies where the path turns to grass.

 

That is what we do and we average 75,000 rounds a year. There are a few spots that we just can’t do anything about (where the carts come off the 8th fairway to the cart path). But we don’t get any potholes just turns to bare turf.

 

Would types of grass have anything to do with it?

 

There's some turf that's more resistant to wear, but if you're running 120 carts per day over the same 80 square feet, it's gunna damage the turf.

 

Actually getting rid of paths might not be such a bad idea....then traffic might not funnel into the same areas over and over again.

 

Have you had any success or tried the perforated rubber mats that allow grass to grow through it, but still provide a reinforced barrier to wear the grass? I have seen this.

[sainters]

TV golf is the worst thing that happened to golf in general. Color and looks shouldn't matter. I wish everyone could play a nice brown, firm and fast course once in their life and discover how great it is to be able to play shots on the ground.

 

Never have truer words been spoken !!!

[BNGL]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

 

Caddies and walking only. Aside from that it's a battle that can't be won. As unnatural as it looks I've got stakes and nice braided rope, That we move everyday. It alleviates traffic until the area heals up. If you're doing a lot of rounds per day then it's a tougher battle. For me I only have 50 people a day tops on average. When I was in Orlando we did 225 per day everyday from December to may, and it sucked managing the traffic. I would advise natural paths, seems to minimize potholes and other uglies where the path turns to grass.

 

That is what we do and we average 75,000 rounds a year. There are a few spots that we just can’t do anything about (where the carts come off the 8th fairway to the cart path). But we don’t get any potholes just turns to bare turf.

 

Would types of grass have anything to do with it?

 

There's some turf that's more resistant to wear, but if you're running 120 carts per day over the same 80 square feet, it's gunna damage the turf.

 

Actually getting rid of paths might not be such a bad idea....then traffic might not funnel into the same areas over and over again.

 

Have you had any success or tried the perforated rubber mats that allow grass to grow through it, but still provide a reinforced barrier to wear the grass? I have seen this.

 

I have never used the rubber mats, so I can't testify as to their effectiveness. I have seen them and read their literature, good idea but I'm not a fan of artificial materials on the course. I abhor traffic stakes, and only use the absolute bare minimum.

[Shilgy]

BGNL great contributions here. Wanted to see what works best for scattering at the end of a cart path. What type of solutions work best in your experience to alleviate wearing out the grass and getting potholes.

 

Caddies and walking only. Aside from that it's a battle that can't be won. As unnatural as it looks I've got stakes and nice braided rope, That we move everyday. It alleviates traffic until the area heals up. If you're doing a lot of rounds per day then it's a tougher battle. For me I only have 50 people a day tops on average. When I was in Orlando we did 225 per day everyday from December to may, and it sucked managing the traffic. I would advise natural paths, seems to minimize potholes and other uglies where the path turns to grass.

 

That is what we do and we average 75,000 rounds a year. There are a few spots that we just can’t do anything about (where the carts come off the 8th fairway to the cart path). But we don’t get any potholes just turns to bare turf.

 

Would types of grass have anything to do with it?

 

There's some turf that's more resistant to wear, but if you're running 120 carts per day over the same 80 square feet, it's gunna damage the turf.

 

Actually getting rid of paths might not be such a bad idea....then traffic might not funnel into the same areas over and over again.

As a private club member I wish just education was the answer. Drives me nuts... If you see a worn/highly trafficed or wet area...avoid it!!

[ArtMBgolf]

The Carolinas have winter kill problems this year on the greens, due to the worst winter in 40 years.

This is made worse by hybrid bermuda greens that are not overseeded.

Some courses that have good greens, used covers on the greens.

 

Are green covers on cold nights going to become the norm, now that not overseeding greens is popular?

[Schley]

 

We just had our biggest event of the season, and we got the place in the best shape I have ever seen (worked on tour, at US Opens, played some of the best courses in the world). I had 15 guys spend a total of 22.75 hours filling and repairing divots and ballmarks on greens. Over 340 man hours just repairing minimal damage.

 

Holy shishkabobs! Is this number just once a year I assume? Wow that is like 1 hour 15 minutes per green! BTW any before and after photos of the green after this spa treatment?