USGA GREEN SECTION TURF ADVISORY SERVICE REPORT

Transcription

1 United States Golf Association Mid Atlantic Region Green Section 485 Baltimore Pike, Suite 203 Glen Mills, PA (610) FAX (610) USGA GREEN SECTION TURF ADVISORY SERVICE REPORT SANDY RUN COUNTRY CLUB Oreland, Pennsylvania August 4, 2009 PRESENT: Jim Lyons, Chairman of the Green Committee Jim Coll, Board of Directors Steve Kennendy, Member Fred Purdy, Head Golf Professional Alex Lennertz, Assistant in Training Jack Mood, Golf Course Superintendent Darin S. Bevard, USGA Green Section

2 INTRODUCTION The following report is offered to summarize the major points of discussion during our half day visit to Sandy Run Country Club, on Tuesday, August 4, This report will include observations, suggestions and recommendations made during our tour of your facility. The overall condition of the golf course was very good at the time of our visit. However, there were some areas of weak turf on the collars as well as what appeared to be wilt stress on several greens. We will have more on both of these topics later in the report. The greens were generally well rooted and exhibited good turfgrass density. In addition to our visit, we stopped by one week later and there was additional stress on several greens which we will also discuss later in the report. In fairways, some isolated crabgrass populations as well as kyllingagrass were the big topics of conversation. Options for cleaning up the fairways after core aeration in the spring were also discussed. Persistent wet weather throughout the summer has created additional challenges. Flooding on the Eighth hole had created some areas of damage in the rough and even fairway which may lead to turfgrass loss. Time will tell. While the golf course was in good condition, there are areas that can be improved. Late summer stress was evident, although the end of summer heat is not far away. Our goal is to offer suggestions to fine tune your agronomic programs to maintain the conditions that you have and offer options for improvement that are necessary. With those thoughts in mind, we offer the following recommendations for your consideration. GREENS 1. Collars. On your new greens and on the Seventh green where creeping bentgrass was sodded into the collars, significant stress has occurred. This stress has occurred in a growing season that has actually been very mild. Turfgrass density in the collars was not good. We believe that turfgrass conditions on collars will improve if a few changes are made. The first step in improving your collars is to lower their height of cut. Generally, creeping bentgrass collars will perform better at a height of inch or lower. This may require a dedicated mower for this purpose. If you are using solid rollers on your mowers, the height of cut of the collars may need to be even lower. 2

3 The other option to consider for your collars is to slightly increase fertility. The collars receive an exceptional amount of traffic compared to the putting greens as a whole. The turning of mowers, collar maintenance and golfer traffic creates wear that dictates more aggressive fertilizer programs will be beneficial. The best way to apply fertilizer to your collars is through a drop spreader. Applying an additional 1/4 3/8 lb. of actual N per 1,000 sq. ft. from a slow release fertilizer will promote growth and density. Mechanical stress was noted on your creeping bentgrass collars. In our opinion, most of the stress is related to mechanical damage that is being enhanced by mowing height. The height of cut on your collars needs to be reduced for them to perform at their best. As you evaluate your collar programs, keep in mind one of the biggest reasons for their decline is mechanical damage. Lowering the height of cut and increasing fertility will help improve your collars because the lower height of cut will encourage density and upright growth. This means less lateral leaf growth present to be subjected to mechanical stress. It is no coincidence the small patches of Poa annua in your collars are actually holding up just fine compared to the creeping bentgrass. Their upright 3

4 growth habit makes them less susceptible to mechanical damage. Increasing fertility improves the grasses ability to recover from the traffic that it receives. 2. New Greens. Overall, your new greens continue to perform well. The collar problems not withstanding, problems that have occurred have been minor. On the day of our visit, the Tenth green showed the most signs of summer stress. Some additional programs as well as intensification of other programs may be needed on all of your new greens. The Tenth green is likely just an indicator of the need for fine tuning. A. Fertility. The sand base of your newer greens will require slightly higher amounts of nitrogen on an annual basis as well as more frequent inputs. On the Tenth green, the existing turf is more than adequate to provide recovery. However, it needs additional fertilizer beyond maintenance levels to promote growth to fill in from the thinning that has occurred from persistent wet weather and algae development. If weather conditions permit, a granular fertilizer can be applied to supply 1/4 3/8 lb. of actual N per 1,000 sq. ft. A product such as Contec that is homogeneous and easy to spread may be a good choice. The key is to be sure that any product applied that contains readily available nitrogen is watered in to prevent any fertilizer burn. The other option is to use more frequent liquid fertilizer applications through your sprayer. Applying approximately 1/8 lb. of actual N per 1,000 sq. ft. on a weekly basis will provide good results. The Tenth and Eighteenth greens should certainly be on this schedule. The Third green is actually performing much better than the other two which, believe it or not, is a direct result of its earlier establishment date. Slightly increasing fertility on these greens will improve their overall quality. B. Algae. A product such as Fore or Daconil ZN should be applied at maximum label rates to suppress algae. Algae was noticeable on the Tenth green. Again, this is as much due to the persistent wet weather conditions that occurred leading up to our visit. Drier weather will see a decline in algae very quickly, but fungicide applications will help with this process. Applying algae control in conjunction with additional fertility should see rapid recovery from the thinning on the Tenth green. C. Aeration. The presence of the sod layer in the greens is still obvious. This sod layer is not helping matters when it comes to drainage when the greens are wet and contributes to algae development. These sodded greens still need more aggressive core aeration than the greens as a whole. An additional 2 3 core 4

5 aerations should be performed on these greens in late summer and fall. Again, the goal is to remove the layer imported with the sod and replace it with new sand topdressing. Various tine sizes can be used depending upon the golf schedule. Obviously, larger tines will provide more rapid results than smaller tines. D. Poa annua Control. Do you want to keep Poa annua out of your new greens? This is a question that must be answered. Considering the makeup of your other greens, if there is no immediate plan to regrass all of them, we question whether keeping Poa annua out of these greens should be a goal. If you wish to keep Poa annua out of your new greens, consider an application of Bensulide preemergence herbicide in early September. Applications of 6 oz. of actual product per 1,000 sq. ft. should be made. Two additional applications at the same rate should be made on a 30 day interval for a total of 18 oz. per 1,000 sq. ft. this fall. While Bensulide does not provide 100 percent control of Poa annua germination, it definitely helps. Your new greens are performing well. They are being maintained at the same height of cut as the rest of the greens on the golf course. A slight increase in fertility for the remainder of the summer and fall will see rapid improvement in the density of these greens, especially the Tenth green. Additional aeration is needed to reduce the sod layer that is still present in the profile. 3. Root Pythium. The symptoms of turfgrass thinning and stress on the Thirteenth and Fifteenth greens are consistent with root pythium. While Poa annua appears to be the grass that has completely collapsed, it was obvious that creeping bentgrass populations were also under wilt stress. Mr. Lennertz indicated that repeated hand watering has provided some relief and recovery in these areas. Yet, after a four inch rain event two days prior to our visit, there were already signs of wilt in areas that appeared to have adequate moisture. When root pythium occurs, the turfgrass wilts even with good soil moisture because root function is compromised. There is no guarantee that root pythium is the cause of this problem, but for the cost of a contact pythium application on selected greens, it makes sense to be sure. At the time of our visit, we suggested that a contact pythium fungicide such as Terrazole or Teremec SP be applied to combat root pythium. These applications should be lightly watered in immediately to prevent any tip burn. The goal is simply to wash the fungicide off of the leaf blade and into the very upper portion of the soil profile. It is not to drench into the profile. The Eleventh green was also recommended to be included in 5

6 these applications. We will be interested to see how the greens respond to root pythium fungicide application. 4. Poa annua Stress. About a week after our visit, we stopped by at Mr. Mood s request to look at the greens because some stress of Poa annua was noted beyond what we saw during our visit. In our opinion, the grass was suffering from a tip burn that may have been due to a fertilizer application in combination with the summer heat. By no means were we positive that this was the cause. The heat alone may have been enough to bring on additional stress of Poa annua. Upon close inspection, the bud leaves of the plants were emerging and appeared healthy and green which again indicated burn of the older leaves. We believe the grass will recover from this stress fairly quickly. TEES Last year, a significant portion of our visit was spent discussing conditions of certain tees. The Fifth and Fifteenth tees were of a special interest. These tees were in much better condition this year than they were at the time of our visit last year. With the exception of some Dollar Spot infection, the tees were in good condition. This fall, we recommend that you fertilize these weaker tees more aggressively. In fact, all of your tees will probably benefit from aggressive fall fertility. Remember, tees are one area of the golf course that in some respects are a constant grow in situation and as such they require higher levels of nitrogen fertility. It is nice to see that these tees are much improved. FAIRWAYS 1. Weed Control. Several fairways were not treated with preemergence herbicides because of the need to reestablish creeping bentgrass from seed this spring. In addition, kyllingagrass populations continue to increase in all of your fairways. Kyllingagrass is a perennial weed that will not be controlled with preemergence herbicide applications. This weed needs to be controlled with postemergent applications or its populations will continue to expand. Different options are available for these two weed problems. A. Crabgrass. Applications of Acclaim at 5 oz. of actual product per acre can be made on a 14 day interval on the fairways to suppress crabgrass populations. Acclaim probably will not control crabgrass completely at these rates. However, higher rates may result in undesirable injury to creeping bentgrass. With repeat applications as we progress through the late summer and early fall, you will 6

7 prevent crabgrass plants from becoming so large that they crowd out creeping bentgrass turf. Acclaim should keep crabgrass less noticeable. The other option is to consider applying three application of Drive herbicide at 1/3 lb. of product per acre on a 7 day interval for a total of three applications. This will provide 1 lb. of active ingredient total and should provide good control of crabgrass. Applications of Drive at higher rates then 1/3 lb. per acre may result in undesirable turfgrass injury. The other option is to simply allow the crabgrass to run its course, be killed with the first frost and use preemergence herbicides next spring for control. In our opinion, some sort of herbicide suppression should be considered this late summer to prevent crabgrass from getting very large in the fairways where it is a problem. The coarse, lime green grass in this picture from the Fifteenth fairway is kyllingagrass. This weed will spread rapidly if control measures are not implemented. 7

8 B. Kyllingagrass. Kyllingagrass is a challenging weed to eradicate. Basically, there are two products that can be used in cool season turfgrass to help suppress and control this weed. As we said above, kyllingagrass is a perennial weed that will continue to spread if control measures are not implemented. The most effective treatment for kyllingagrass is the herbicide Dismiss. Follow label directions in terms of rates and application interval. Dismiss can cause some discoloration of cool season turfgrass populations. However, this is necessary so that control of kyllingagrass can be realized. At the very least, you should experiment with Dismiss to see the results provided. For the record, some superintendents have applied 2 oz. of Dismiss per acre in multiple applications rather than using a single full rate application. The other option is to make multiple applications of the herbicide Sedgehammer in an attempt to suppress kyllingagrass populations. While Sedgehammer is safer on cool season turfgrass populations, it will not provide the effectiveness of control as Dismiss. At some point, you will need to apply Dismiss to gain control. Your crabgrass problem is not a major issue. It can be addressed in multiple ways. Kyllingagrass on the other hand is a perennial and control options will need to be implemented to control this weed and to prevent from increasing in population. 2. Aeration Clean up. Mr. Lyons asked our opinion on the best possible methods to clean up the fairways after core aeration during the spring. First and foremost, dry conditions really help with aeration clean up and the process as a whole. The rain that you had at the time of spring aeration made it difficult to clean up the fairways. It may be worthwhile to ask your aeration contractor what options they have for cleaning up the fairways. Different core pulverizers are available that can be very effective in destroying cores. They make reincorporation of soil much easier than a traditional chain link drag mat. It will probably add cost to your contract aeration. However, the results may be worth it. 3. Thirteenth Fairway Extension. Turfgrass in the extension area of the Thirteenth fairway is better than it was last year. However, there is a tremendous population of goosegrass that has emerged in this area. Dismiss can also be used to suppress goosegrass in the same manner as kyllingagrass. Preemergence herbicides will also control goosegrass next spring. Goosegrass is an annual, although split applications of a product such as Dimension will likely be needed for season long control. Goosegrass populations are high enough and the plants are large enough that you may consider mechanical removal if time and resources allow. This is not imperative, but it would help to improve this area quickly. 8

9 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Tree Management. It was good to hear that you continue to evaluate your overall tree plantings for potential removal and even additional plantings where necessary. Very few specific recommendations regarding tree removal occurred during our visit. Again, the goal is to continue managing your tree populations to improve growing conditions, playability and the appearance of the golf course. One specific tree that we did recommend for removal after our discussions was the Crimson King Maple on the right side of the First hole. For one reason, this tree is not in good condition structurally. There is a lot of deadwood in the trunk of the tree. Secondly, this tree creates a double hazard situation in relation to the right side fairway bunkers. Ultimately, it is not our decision. However, we believe the appearance and playability of the First hole will be improved with this tree removed. Again, the tree is not in good condition structurally. 2. Eighth Hole. The cart path along the right side of the Eighth hole creates issues in regards to playability. Because of its location, balls that hit the path may bounce out of bounds. This is a significant concern of paving this cart path. However, with heavy rain events, significant amounts of soil and gravel are being washed into the rough and fairway of the Eighth hole. Where this occurs, the cart path should be paved. The health of the grass in these areas is being compromised because of the wash outs of the cart path. If possible, certain sections of this path should be paved to eliminate a major headache in terms of clean up after heavy rain which drains labor resources. This will also limit damage to the turfgrass during heavy rain events. While some balls may wind up out of bounds that otherwise would have been in play, we believe paving this path will be an overall improvement. 3. Fescue Areas. The naturalized areas behind the Seventh green have been contaminated with weeds. Mr. Mood indicated these areas may be cut down because of their poor appearance. In our opinion, if you wish to keep these grass areas, there is enough fine fescue in them to make them attractive. This fall, consider mowing the grasses on the mounds down to 4 to 6 inches in height. After one week, apply Fusilade herbicide at a rate of 1 pint per acre. Mix the herbicide with a crop oil to improve efficacy. Fusilade will help to remove all grasses other than fine fescue to provide a cleaner appearance in these areas. A broadleaf herbicide can be applied approximately 14 days after Fusilade. Next spring, consider mowing these naturalized areas two additional times in early April 9

10 and early May. This will allow additional opportunities to apply Fusilade and broadleaf herbicides to eliminate weeds for these areas. 4. Rough Sodded Areas. Some of the sodded areas around your new greens were heavily damaged by Dollar Spot disease. This fall, consider applying 2 lb. of actual N per 1,000 sq. ft. to these areas beyond your normal rough fertility. Inexpensive Ag grade fertilizers can be used. Applying 1 lb. of N per 1,000 sq. ft in late September and again in late October or early November will feed the turf without causing a flush in growth. The grass will be better for it next spring. The straw colored grass is the result of Dollar Spot disease. This sodded area is in need of additional nitrogen fertility to improve the appearance of the grass and to improve the resistance of the grass to Dollar Spot. 10

11 CONCLUSION 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/tab Darin S. Bevard Senior Agronomist DSB:tab Jack Mood, Golf Course Superintendent Jim Lyons, Green Committee Chairman Jim Coll, Board of Directors 11