PITCHCARE CLASSIFIEDS GOLF
A New Maintenance Direction?
When discussing the “Future of Golf”, and the environmental, playability and sustainability questions, is it possible the biggest, most important questions have been ignored?
Most people, and most greenkeepers, try their best. When talking daily golf maintenance, greenkeepers are under enormous time pressure. Virtually most of their tasks are expected to be done before the first golfers arrive.
This “beat the clock” mentality creates serious conflicts for the greenkeepers as they are often forced to work under less than optimal weather conditions; often wet conditions caused by dew, rain or excessive irrigation. Many don’t realise it, but wet soil is ideal for causing damage to the course and produces less than ideal results. Soil compaction, rutting, tears in the grass, lumped grass clippings, poor mowing quality, increased fuel consumption and machine wear and tear are the end results - it is neither productive, efficient, nor the model for sustainability.
All work done under wet conditions is ideal for producing the greenkeeper’s devil… compaction… and several thousands of pounds extra annually in order to repair the soil structure damage. It leads to additional work and related disturbances on the golf course. It is difficult to imagine clubs, who clearly understand the problem, would want this. The alternative? Allow greenkeepers the opportunity to deliver first- class work under dry conditions. The club and their members must decide.
Every member would like their annual dues to be spent effectively. If clubs alter their perspective slightly, showing more understanding and allowing greenkeepers to begin some work, like mowing, a few hours later, say 10:00am, in the afternoon or evening - they would provide the flexibility for better results, and help eliminate or reduce the conditions that cause serious problems.
The golfer’s desire for green colour is another serious problem to achieving ideal playing conditions. Deep green, lush, dense turf is not ideal at all!
Greens and their surrounds are affected most by soft and green conditions because of the heavy and concentrated traffic produced by both golfers and machines. The result? Greens become uneven, do not guarantee a consistent roll of the ball, suffer quickly from soil compaction and disease.
Green and soft causes problems, problems and more problems, by inviting disease and the wrong types of grasses and plants to thrive. A green and soft golf course is begging to become a series of disease ridden problems. It is neither ecological nor the model of sustainability.
A healthy plant leaf is often light green, yellow, purple or brown! These lean plants have root systems that are deep and healthy. Lush, green grass, by comparison, usually has a weak, shallow root system, the result of too much
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nitrogen and water. The plant is lazy, having no need for its root system to seek moisture and nutrients.
If one studies the truly great golf courses, you’ll find the turf is lean, the soils firm, dry and fast, not slow, lush and wet. Firm and fast is not cost effective, or more fun to play golf upon. You save on fertlisers, chemicals, fuel, machine and irrigation system repairs, water costs and electricity.
As regulations get tougher, and as chemicals are taken off the market, lush, green and wet has become a club’s nightmare.
Nearly all symptoms - especially soil compaction and the resulting grass diseases - are the direct result of applying too much fertiliser and water, and treating the resulting diseased turf with chemicals. New legislation makes it more than tough on golf clubs to continue down this road.
Mechanical soil aeration is one way to ensure grass receives enough oxygen to guarantee healthy turf for sustainable golf. It is crucial for clubs to have a full understanding as to why these time-consuming and expensive soil improving methods are necessary. Avoiding or reducing soil compaction by encouraging dry, firm conditions and mowing under prime conditions is preventive medicine. It helps reduce problems, whilst lowering costs and delivering the finest playing conditions.
To make the most of your budget, of your greenkeeping staff, and creating optimal playing
conditions, it is useful for the club and greenkeeping staff to examine each element of their maintenance practices and seek optimal solutions.
Golf course maintenance is an art combined with science. The fine art of golf course maintenance requires problem areas to be identified and understood by all parties. When challenges are known, solutions can be found.
Understanding can only help create harmony, provide solutions that work with respect and responsibility for Mother Nature, create trust, cooperation and the confidence that the greenkeeper is making the right and best choices.
It's not always easy but, in the long run, it pays off handsomely. Communication is critical, not just at the Board of Directors level with the head greenkeeper, but throughout the club. Those in reception greeting golfers, informal meetings on the golf course, newsletters, club magazines, bulletin boards, blogs, and information pages in the club restaurant are all opportunities to inform, educate and set the foundation for better, more cost-effective maintenance.
A New Maintenance Direction could be a milestone for your golf club, and golf in general.
©Norbert Lischka, The Turf Fox.
www.der-rasenfuchs.de lischka@der-rasenfuchs.de
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