Report Prepared for Old South Country Club. 17 July Turfgrass Disease Solutions, LLC Steve McDonald, M.S

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1 Report Prepared for Old South Country Club 17 July 2012 Turfgrass Disease Solutions, LLC Steve McDonald, M.S I visited Old South Country Club on 3 and 11 July Recent weather patterns have been marked by above average heat waves, warm nights and a very dry time frame. Total rainfall over the past month has been less than 0.5 inches and evapotranspiration rates have been very high (0.25 inches per day). Soil temperatures have been in the mid 90 F range for over two weeks. These environmental conditions have placed extreme physiological stress on fine turfgrass. Root length has significantly decreased and water management has become the foci of most golf course managers in the region. The purpose of this report is to summarize the major discussion points of the visit. 1.) Poorly rooted greens 2.) Poa annua management and PGR programs 3.) black layer in greens 1 and ) new driving range tee Overall the greens have had poor rooting this year. This could be due to a plethora of factors. The greens have been aggressively managed for thatch in the past 24 months and these cultural practice should aid in rooting. While the organic matter levels have declined, the rooting is worse than it was previously. Earlier this spring I recommended an aggressive fertilizer program to try to aid in rooting. This autumn I would like to examine soil chemical and physical properties to try to identify any issues. It is absolutely critical to have better rooting for We discussed cultural practices

2 Poa annua is an intractable weed in bentgrass in the region. Currently the greens are treated with a plant growth regulator to suppress foliar growth and maintain green speeds. Trimmit is used to suppress Poa annua while Primo is used to maintain green speeds. At the time of these visit, the Poa annua was severely suppressed. I would suggest the continuance of Primo and Trimmit during the warm weather to maintain green speeds and increase bentgrass vigor. In mid to late August return back to more aggressive Trimmit programs to suppress Poa annua. Continue Trimmit applications as late as possible into the autumn. In the past I have been reserved about recommending the use of the pre-emergent herbicide Bensumec on putting greens. This herbicide should seriously be considered on the worst greens to determine its feasibility.

3 This autumn if labor and budget allows, the target areas of the range should treated with herbicides targeting broadleaf and grassy weeds and it should be over-seeded with 100% turf type tall fescue. Currently there is a significant amounts of weeds in the target areas and these weeds will create difficulty for the ball picker as well as increase the mowing need. Funds should be allocated to this project for the long term success of it. The sod is still immature. There is little to no matt layer or pad for traffic and divoting.

4 The new driving range project is completed. While the sod looks great, it is not mature. We discussed opening of the grass tee for hitting balls. The rooting is good at this point but the sod will still quickly tear up if hit from. Therefore, I would suggest opening the tee in late August or early September. Continue to push new sod with lbs N/M from a complete starter fertilizer per 2-3 weeks until opening. Adjustments to the new irrigation system may need to be made to address wet spots and even coverage. This autumn the tee should be cored twice if possible. Over-seed the divots with perennial ryegrass to encourage quick germination and recovery. I believe that due to shade, perennial ryegrass will be more competitive when compared to creeping bentgrass.

5 Black layer continues to be an issue on many golf courses that were constructed with modern construction techniques. It develops in the lower areas of putting greens. It is due to water not releasing through profile uniformly. Therefore the top or middle or some layer in the soil impedes drainage. The sulfide gases that are a byproduct of the poor drainage are toxic to roots. Therefore the grass on top of this never performs well, especially in the heat. These areas should be addressed by 3-4 extra aerifications per year, removing as much organic matter and back filling with straight sand. The entire green does not have to be cored, just the isolated areas. The right side of the first green had black layer present and there is a fan there. Number 14 does not have a fan but the low lying front area had poor rooting and black layer. If the fan was not there, these symptoms would have likely been worst on one. Fans aid in the turfgrass plants ability to cool themselves and aid in the water movement in plants. Therefore, in areas where black layer is present, I would suggest placing portable fans or blowers if the symptoms worsen or on warm, humid days. Be sure to move these fans frequently. On the first green there is already a fan on the opposite side of the green. Continue to run the fan for 24 hours per day to aid in cooling and air movement until symptoms abate.

6 The time domain reflectometer (aka moisture meter) makes two small holes where it is used, however, these two small holes are one of the best tools in golf course management. It allows managers to put a number to their observations and tweak watering patterns. On the visit we discussed how they are used at Old South Country Club and I would suggest continuing to use them to prepare greens daily and determine how much water the greens need. These values have proven valuable in the identification of black layer and areas that tend to stay wet. Therefore, they have prevented these areas from worsening.