Guide to Golf Terminology: Turf Edition Part II
To fi nish up the golfer’s guide to golf terminology turfgrass edition, we need to cover
the letters N through Z. Playing conditions are one of the most important factors for golfers when deciding where to play. If more golfers have an enlightened view as to how the superintendent and his/her crew achieve these conditions then perhaps we can teach others about our great game. Here’s to improving your vocabulary.
TERMINOLOGY: N
Nematodes. Microscopic worms
found everywhere. There are over 500,000 species of nematodes with 5,000 of those being parasitic to plants. Sever-
al golf courses in Northern California have experienced issues due to damage caused by nematodes. Organic Matter. The dark material that
O
results from the degrada- tion of plant leaves, shoots and roots. The percentage of organic matter is fre- quently recorded on soil tests. Excess organic matter in greens can create a softer and less consistent putting surface. Organic matter is managed by using sand, topdressing and aeration. Punched greens. Aerifi cation is one way the maintenance staff can help reduce the percentage of organic matter in put- ting greens. By removing small plugs of turf and replacing with sand, the soil profi le is al-
P
tered. The size holes created and the distance between the holes determines the
percentage of surface area that is disturbed and how much organic matter is removed. Quagmire. Winter playing conditions in
Q
Northern California can be signifi cantly more chal- lenging due to the copious amounts of precipitation received during this time. Unfortunately it can create conditions on a golf course that are often called quag- mires, a term maintenance personnel don’t like to hear. Recycled Water. More golf courses are utiliz-
R
ing this supply of water as their primary source for irrigation. Re- cycled water is less likely to be restricted during
times of drought. Recycled water does deliver elevated levels of certain substances (nitrogen and dissolved salts) which require turf managers to adjust mainte- nance practices. Salinity. Using irriga- tion water that con-
S
tains high levels of dissolved salts can result in salts accumulating in the soil. High soil salinity impairs a plant’s ability to absorb water and results in plant stress or death. Monitoring the soil and water through yearly testing is recom-
mended to determine if salinity issues are emerging. Topdressing. A com- mon cultural practice
T
usually consisting of a light layer of sand to help with the dilution of organic matter on putting greens.
Topdressing is becoming more common on fairways and tees. This process helps smooth out the playing surface as well as improve surface drainage. Uniformity. A term used when determining
U
how evenly water is ap- plied when irrigating a golf course. In theory, the more uniform the distribution of water is from the irrigation system, the more consistent the turf/playing conditions should be with less total wa- ter used. Voles. A small rodent which can damage
V
many landscape plants as well as turf. A vole has a short tail, stocky body and small ears when
compared to a mouse. Vole
activity is identifi ed by small runways that are near one- inch holes in the ground.
Voles are active year-round and are frequently found near areas of dense vegetation. Wetting agents. Prod- ucts that improve wa-
W
ter’s ability to move through the soil profi le. Water repel- lent soils (hydrophobic) are relatively common on golf courses. The use of wetting agents can help resolve local- ized dry spots. Xeriscape. Landscap- ing that requires little or
X
no additional supplemental irrigation. Frequently native plant materials are used for these types of landscape plantings. As water issues continue to garner more at- tention throughout the state, many courses have imple- mented xeriscaping concepts to reduce their water use. Yardage. Are you play- ing the right set of tees
Y
based on your handicap? Golfers have a knack of play- ing a golf course from the wrong set of tees. Depend- ing on skill level, playing the appropriate set of tees will result in a more enjoyable round of golf. Zoysia. A warm season turf that provides an
Z
excellent playing surface. I’m not aware of any courses in California that utilize this grass as a playing surface, but when you are down to the last letter of the alphabet, you need a little help.
By Mike McCullough Director of Environmental and Water Resources
E-mail:
mike@ncga.org
SPRING 2011 /
NCGA.ORG / 69
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