Management Factors Affecting Green Speed outline

Management Factors Affecting Green Speed: 

Management Factors Affecting Green Speed

Green Speed- What Caused the Race?: 

Green Speed- What Caused the Race? Most Golf Course Superintendents and Assistant Golf Course Superintendents realize the driving force behind the “need for speed” – golfers who watch PGA and LPGA tournaments on television.

Green Speed- What Caused the Race?: 

Green Speed- What Caused the Race? Lightening fast greens come with a price; usually long term health of the green. Dr. Don White’s Ecological Principles of Turf Management: “There are limits of tolerance related to conditions under which turf will grow.” “There is an accumulation affect associated with constant or regular treatments.” “One shot treatments do not accumulate affects but tend to move things off center only briefly. Usually the tendency is for things to return to the original condition.”

What does all this mean to the turf manager?: 

What does all this mean to the turf manager? For most, attempting to keep greens too fast for too long will have negative effects on the turf-

What does all this mean to the turf manager?: 

What does all this mean to the turf manager? Know your greens… New bentgrass cultivars like the Penn A and G series, and L-93 can withstand much lower mowing heights than Penncross, Penneagle and other older cultivars. Greens with a large amount of contour will be scalped more frequently at low mowing heights.

What does all this mean to the turf manager?: 

What does all this mean to the turf manager? Well constructed greens with good drainage and non-compacted root zones will often tolerate low mowing better than poorly drained, compacted greens… Lowering mowing height and changing other factors to reduce the amount of verdure (green tissue) to increase green speed can be done short term without a great deal of harm coming to greens. Continuously maintaining greens near limits of tolerance is likely to cause problems with turf health and quality.

L-93 @ 0.115”: 

L-93 @ 0.115”

Other Components of Green Quality: 

Other Components of Green Quality Density Uniformity Color Health (freedom from insects, diseases, etc.)

Management Practices: 

Management Practices Grass/ cultivar selection- some more upright, some more stoloniferous etc.

Management Practices: 

Management Practices Mowing practices- less verdure>______________ Avoid lowering mowing height during hot periods Lowering heights by 1/32” (about .03”) increases green speed ___________________ according to McCarty. 1 McCarty recommends lowering height by 1/32” at a time, although this may often be too much- .005”->.01.” is safer. Start a week to ten days prior to the tournament. Double cutting beginning 2 days prior to an event will increase ___________________________ 1

Management Practices: 

Management Practices Mowers also make a difference. Walking greens mowers ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Grooved rollers penetrate into grass rather than floating on the surface- _____________________________________________ Mowers with groomers may also increase green speed without lowering mowing height, especially on bentgrass cultivars that tend to lay down. http://www.jacobsen.textron.com/product.asp?MID=1&FID=7&PID=110 http://www.jacobsen.textron.com/product.asp?MID=1&FID=7&PID=13 http://www.toro.com/golf/mower/green/walk/index.html

Vertical Mowing (Verti-cutting): 

Vertical Mowing (Verti-cutting) Light frequent verticutting stands grass up to remove more verdure. Vertical mowers height should be set __________________________________________________________________________. Verticutting can be done every week or two as needed.

Fertilization Effect on Green Speed: 

Fertilization Effect on Green Speed Application of nitrogen to turfgrass increases ___________________________________. Wider leaf blades result in more total verdure and reduce ball roll by about ______________________________________________________________________________________________ according to McCarty. Application of nitrogen to greens should cease at least _______________ before a tournament.

Aerification Effect on Green Speed: 

Aerification Effect on Green Speed Aerification without topdressing will reduce ball roll up to 5” for up to 28 days. 1 If topdressing follows aerification, and initial decrease in green speed occurs followed by an increase in speed after 8 days, lasting for 21 days. 1 McCarty recommends topdressing with 0.4 to 0.8 cubic yards/ 1000 square feet about 8 to 14 days prior to a tournament.

Brushing Effect on Green Speed: 

Brushing Effect on Green Speed Brushing 1-3 times a week stands grass up and removes grain much like a verticutter or turf groomer. The result is more verdure is removed by mowing increasing green speed.

Plant Growth Regulators Effect on Green Speed: 

Plant Growth Regulators Effect on Green Speed Turfgrass growth regulators do slow vertical growth, and reduce clippings. McCarty indicates that TGRs can also be used to increase ball roll. However, research indicates that TGRs have no effect on green speed.

Water Management: 

Water Management Drier soil conditions ____________________. When possible greens are _____________ prior to tournaments. Some superintendents only hand water greens as necessary to keep greens as dry as possible. Well drained greens aid in controlling water.

Rolling Greens to Increase Ball Roll: 

Rolling Greens to Increase Ball Roll Rolling greens to increase ball roll has regained popularity. Rolling increases green speed __________________________________________________________________________

Rolling Green to Increase Ball Roll: 

Rolling Green to Increase Ball Roll Lightweight rollers can be very effective, without causing undue compaction to greens. McCarty recommends daily rolling for tournaments and not during regular play. research indicates that rolling _________________________________________________________________________. Different types of rollers are available : http://www.greensiron.com/greensiron%20turf%20rollers1.html http://www.true-surface.com/

Rolling Green to Increase Ball Roll: 

Rolling Green to Increase Ball Roll Some superintendents simply use walking greens mowers with added weight and the blades turned off to achieve nearly the same results. CAUTION: Don’t roll greens that are >10% silt or <80% sand or increased compaction is immanent. don’t roll wet greens; also excess rolling with heavy units will cause compaction regardless of soil condition.

Dayton’s Open- Poa annua/ Agrostis stolonifera 1/8”: 

Dayton’s Open- Poa annua/ Agrostis stolonifera 1/8”

References: 

References McCarty L.B. Best Golf Course Management Practices, Prentice Hall Publishing, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 2001.