Greenkeeping Questions

[greensman]

Hello one and all

I’ve been a Head Greenkeeper for many years, as well as a keen golfer. I’ve been lucky to be able to play some of the very best courses managed by the very best greenkeeprs. But the problem with my occupation is the dreaded ‘assumption’ it’s a greenkeeping nightmare. The 19th hole creates many misconceptions.

So in the spirit of honesty and clarification I will try to answer those greenkeeping questions, the whys & wherefores that frustrate or confuse the golfer.

Hopefully we can all benefit from this. I wait in anticipation.

Many thanks!

 

[doc17]

What's your view on the changes to Wentworth (article in this months GM)? Why were the original greens so unreadable they had to all be ripped up?

 

[birdieman]

Is there any way to avoid bad snow mould after the kind of winter we've had? Our greens were under snow for nearly 4 months.

 

[colint]

When should hollow tinning be done, is it dependent on the weathe conditions ?

 

[haplesshacker]

Firstly welcome back and great that you're offering yourself up for questions again.

How much work would it take to get my back garden to look like a half decent fairway?

Thanks.

 

[madandra]

Will you return and answer the questions you have asked for more reguarly than our last greenkeepers who wanted to offer the same service.

 

[IM01]

Is there any way to avoid bad snow mould after the kind of winter we've had? Our greens were under snow for nearly 4 months.

Think this is a similar question,has the snow added to the problem of moss growth taking over the grass.

 

[Screwback]

How should bunkers be raked and how should the sand look in the bunker when it has been raked???

I frequent a course where the bunkers are raked very flat and the ball always finishes at the face with little or no shot out and with them being pot bunkers the faces are quite big???

How could this be sorted???

Thanks.

 

[colint]

Why is the sand so incosistent on some courses ? some heavy builders type, some light and fluffy, some that doesn't even resemble sand. How hard can it be to order a load from the same supplier and shovel it in ?

 

[greensman]

What's your view on the changes to Wentworth (article in this months GM)? Why were the original greens so unreadable they had to all be ripped up?

Hi

The changes at Wentworth were inevitable, no golf course can sustain this amount of manicuring - fertiliser – water – ultra low cutting heights, chemical use and so on without consequences.

The result being soft, meadow grass (poa annua) greens. Its widely publicised that while this can be visually impressive, it doesn’t provide great golfing conditions.

The pro’s complained and things had to change. Our aim is centred on firmness, when firm then we can get them smooth, have them firm / smooth and the speed will improve. No mention of colour, scalping the grass down or overwatering.

Hopefully the course will be maintained like it should be, a fantastic natural heathland, hopefully they will adopt a more sustainable approach and focus on firmness and playability rather than aesthetics.

Just my opinion mind!

 

[greensman]

Is there any way to avoid bad snow mould after the kind of winter we've had? Our greens were under snow for nearly 4 months.

If we had a crystal ball then yes, we could have sprayed a preventative fungicide chemical before it snowed, but who predicted that snow fall?

Snowmold or fusaium patch has been a huge problem this year. It loves the snow, the fungi Michrodochium nivale likes certain conditions and when the conditions are suitable it will take off. Boy have we had the perfect conditions for this disease.

Again some courses suffer more than others, not meaning one is better just Mother Nature. She can be cruel at times.

 

[greensman]

When should hollow tinning be done, is it dependent on the weathe conditions ?

Ideally hollow coring should be avoided, however at times it’s a necessary evil. This process removes thatch, thatch is the waste product of the plant. This spongy stuff makes winter golf poor (hence your complaint about the winter greens) its also contributes to disease, poor roots, uneven playing surface and so on (Wentworth had this problem)
To answer your question, hollow core when the conditions are dry! Hollow core as often as your members will except and when the thatch has gone... avoid it coming back by limiting the feed, water and use conventional aeration on a regular basis.

Its a bit like the human body – feed more – drink more and you will get FAT. Fat = Thatch
Your greens need to diet and do some exercise. Exercise = normal regular aeration... Hollow core = Liposuction

Hope this helps

 

[greensman]

Firstly welcome back and great that you're offering yourself up for questions again.

How much work would it take to get my back garden to look like a half decent fairway?

Thanks.

Thanks
Get a good mower, cylinder, cut around 14mm, remove problem trees and shade, aerate regularly, top-dress & brush if possible and avoid over feeding and watering. That’s a start!

Good luck!

 

[greensman]

Will you return and answer the questions you have asked for more reguarly than our last greenkeepers who wanted to offer the same service.

I think the last guy was indeed me, however I have changed my name.
Anyway I will do my best but as you will appreciate I am busy at work so I will answer early morning and evening.
On that note, the wife has called me for my dinner and then I intend to go to the Match ... come on you Reds!

Cheers

 

[CannyFifer]

some good info, my local track is elmwood(you may know the college) which is run by the greenkeepers who are all training and they are always out and about doing things and do a great job but can you over look after a course?

 

[Parmo]

Our greens have been Pallantined(sp) I am sure thats what its called. The problem is my friend who is retired used to be greenkeeper at Moortown for 23 years, well he says it should have been done 2 months ago when there was rain. At the moment the coring is the size of a ten pence coin and due to the water system not been checked yet the greens are a nightmare, well if you can call them greens.

My question is... Should this type of work have been done pre-season?

 

[colintrav]

Greensman

As I have no idea of the habitat surrounding your course .. how do you best deal with Rabbit's , Hare's do you catch them though snares are banned as is poisoned bait .

When did you decide you wanted to become a greenkeeper what was the main attraction ?

Do you feel the money that you earn justifies the Job you do.

How many courses around the UK offer training to those that are keen/interested in the trade ?

With all Jobs in this Country do you believe there is room for improvement ?making more appealing to those that wouldn't give such a career a 2nd look

Home owners - Now and again you get some home owners that complain about stray balls etc etc have you ever been confronted by complainer ..

Golf ball hunters - the select hardcore individuals that scower the course for lost balls .. do you let them do as they will ?

Have you ever had Sand , Rakes , flagpoles ,stone chips go a missing overnight or over a period of time

 

[greensman]

[/QUOTE] Think this is a similar question,has the snow added to the problem of moss growth taking over the grass.

[/QUOTE]

Moss is an opportunist, if the grass is thin the moss has an opportunity to invade. So the snow may well have thinned the grass giving the moss more of an opportunity. Other factors may be shade, compacted soil, poor fertility, scalping (cutting too low) and so on.

Best way to control moss is to apply a good lawnsand / iron (Fe) and avoid the other problems – aeration, remove shade problems and so on.

 

[greensman]

How should bunkers be raked and how should the sand look in the bunker when it has been raked???

I frequent a course where the bunkers are raked very flat and the ball always finishes at the face with little or no shot out and with them being pot bunkers the faces are quite big???

How could this be sorted???

Thanks.

This sounds like an architectural decision, some architects design pot bunkers to be as challenging as possible. Designing bunkers with a flat base the ball can sit close to the face making the shot very difficult indeed. The other style is the bowled out bunker, this is when the base is higher at the front and back and the ball rolls to the middle (sometimes) the greenkeepers should be raking them up the face and not flat, but all this depends on the intention architect and the severity of the shot.

Bunkers are hazards after all, but I agree that at times the architect can be brutal.

My advice is to ask if the bunkers are intended to be played this way.

 

[greensman]

Why is the sand so incosistent on some courses ? some heavy builders type, some light and fluffy, some that doesn't even resemble sand. How hard can it be to order a load from the same supplier and shovel it in ?

If only it was that simple!

How many of us complain about inconsistent sand? probably all of us. So why is sand inconsistent and how can this be avoided?

The reason is complex:
Drainage – the wetter the sand, the firmer it becomes (like building sand)

Contamination – tree leaf litter etc, soil type (stones, wormcast, erosion) all this mixes with the sand and quickly makes the sand poor.

Constancy of use: the more popular bunkers will lose more sand, and many golfers will rake the sand backwards meaning loads of sand at the back of a bunker and very little where the ball lies.

Weather: bunkers that are in open areas are prone to wind resulting in loss of sand, in wet areas the bunkers are prone to flooding and become hard.

So in essence bunkers are very difficult to keep consistent because the land and areas of the golf course is inconsistent.
New sand is often placed in the overused bunkers creating more inconsistency, bunkers dry quicker than others meaning some are soft and some are hard, some bunkers are contaminated with soil and debris and others are clean.

Although consistency is very difficult and even impossable, I have some tips:

Make sure all bunkers are properly drained

Replace ALL the sand on a five year programme (very costly) the old bunker sand can be used to top-dress surrounding areas, walk off areas etc.

Rake regular, again very costly but essential to move sand back to its intended place.

Remove problem trees and avoid contamination from soil by using some sort of inside layer.

Parkland courses are harder to keep consistent, but the fact is consistent sand is a problem everywhere. I would be very surprised if the greenkeeper is using different sand, he just has different problems on different areas.