Practical Golf Course Maintenance E-Book

Gordon Witteveen

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 447

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

The revised, bestselling resource of practical, nontechnical advice for maintaining and operating a golf course Practical Golf Course Maintenance, Third Edition presents the latest information and techniques for providing first-rate upkeep and management operations for any golf course. This book's, clear, step-by-step coverage, unencumbered by technical language, includes critical advice on maintaining consistent bunkers, sand top-dressing and aerifying, pesticide storage, and other emerging technologies, as well as mowing techniques for greens, fairways, and tees--and much more! This updated Third Edition offers reliable, state-of-the-art guidance and hundreds of helpful tips with: * Major revisions throughout to address the latest information on computer- operated irrigation systems, new equipment for all aspects of course maintenance, water quality and conservation issues, and managing people * A clear approach that avoids technical language and scientific citations while delivering practical advice that can be immediately applied on the course * Coverage of all aspects of course maintenance from tee to green, along with guidance on managing the course for the rules of the game and managing the business aspects of course management and maintenance Practical Golf Course Maintenance, Third Edition is a valuable tool for golf course owners, architects, builders, golfers, golf professionals, club managers, and superintendents, as well as greens committee members, irrigation specialists, field managers, turfgrass specialists, real estate developers, and landscape architects.

Leseprobe

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Greens

KEEPING THE MOWERS SHARP

THE HEIGHT OF CUT

MOWERS AND CUTTING PATTERNS

CUTTING THE GREEN: 10 STEPS TO A PERFECT PUTTING SURFACE

DEW REMOVAL

THE TRIPLEX RING SYNDROME

HYDRAULIC SPILLS

CLIPPINGS

THE FIRST CUT OF THE SPRING

FAST GREENS

MEDIUM-SLOW GREENS

OVERSEEDED GREENS

TEMPORARY GREENS

DOUBLE GREENS

SAND GREENS WITHOUT TURF

HIGH-SAND-CONTENT GREENS

GREENS FOR HOMEOWNERS

THE EXPENSE OF BUILDING A BACKYARD PUTTING GREEN

SPIKE MARKS AND BALL MARKS

SUMMARY

Chapter 2: Tees

CUTTING TEES

THE HEIGHT OF CUT ON TEES

FORWARD TEES

PRACTICE RANGE TEES

WHAT SUPERINTENDENTS CAN DO TO IMPROVE TEES

TEE RENOVATION AND BUILDING NEW TEES

SUMMARY

Chapter 3: Fairways

CUTTING FAIRWAYS

Dew Removal and Dragging

UNEVEN FAIRWAYS

SUMMARY

Chapter 4: The Rough

DEFINING THE ROUGH AREA

CUTTING THE ROUGH

THE DEW WALK

MAINTAINING SMALL BUT DIFFICULT ROUGH AREAS

THE FESCUE ROUGH

NATURALIZED ROUGH AREAS

SUMMARY

Chapter 5: Bunkers and Their Maintenance

THE NEED FOR SAND BUNKERS

THE SAND IN BUNKERS

BUNKER DRAINAGE

BUNKER LINERS

REASONS WHY SAND BUNKERS SHOULD BE RENOVATED

POT BUNKERS

THE BUNKERS OF SCOTLAND

GRASS BUNKERS

WASTE BUNKERS

RAKING THE BUNKER

EDGING THE BUNKER

SUMMARY

Chapter 6: Water

GREEN GRASS AND WATER

WHEN WET IS TOO WET

WHEN WILTING GRASS NEEDS WATER

WHEN TO WATER

LOCALIZED DRY SPOTS

THE PERCHED WATER TABLE

THE WATERING SYSTEM

WINTERIZING THE SYSTEM

RECHARGING THE SYSTEM AFTER SHUTDOWN

THE WATER SOURCE

SUMMARY

Chapter 7: Fertilizer

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FERTILIZERS

APPLYING FERTILIZERS

MANAGING FERTILIZER SPILLS

SOIL SAMPLING

PREPARING A FERTILIZER PROGRAM

SUMMARY

Chapter 8: Topdressing

WHAT KIND OF MATERIAL?

SAND VERSUS SOIL MIXES

THE PROGRESSION OF CHANGE IN TOPDRESSING MIX

TOPDRESSING GREENS–PAST AND PRESENT

TOPDRESSING TEES

TOPDRESSING FAIRWAYS

TOPDRESSING SOD

DIVOTING

SUMMARY

Chapter 9: Aerating, Spiking, and Verticutting

AERATING GREENS

AERATING TEES

CORE DISPOSAL

AERATING FAIRWAYS

AERATING BITS AND PIECES

SPIKING

VERTICUTTING

SUMMARY

Chapter 10: Spraying

TESTING THE EQUIPMENT

CALIBRATION

RULES AND REGULATIONS

DECISION TIME: WHEN TO SPRAY AND WHEN TO WAIT

FATAL MISTAKES

EDUCATION

SUMMARY

Chapter 11: Seeding, Sodding, and Sprigging

SEEDING

SODDING

SPRIGGING

DECIDING WHEN NEW TURF IS READY FOR USE

SUMMARY

Chapter 12: Drainage

SURFACE DRAINAGE

SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE

INSTALLING DRAINAGE ON NEWLY CONSTRUCTED GREENS

DRAINING EXISTING GREENS

RAISING A LOW-LYING AREA ON AN EXISTING GREEN

DRAINING TEES

DRAINING BUNKERS

DRAINAGE ON FAIRWAYS AND ROUGHS

THE VERTIDRAIN

SLIT TRENCHES AND FRENCH DRAINS

FRIGID ZONE DRAINAGE

MATERIALS USED FOR DRAINAGE

SUMMARY

Chapter 13: Trees

TREE SELECTION

A TREE PLANTING PROGRAM

THE TREE NURSERY

PLANTING TREES

DISTANCE BETWEEN TREES

TREE MAINTENANCE

LEAVES

SUMMARY

Chapter 14: Landscaping

ENHANCING THE CLUBHOUSE AREA

THE LANDSCAPE PLAN

PHOTO AREAS AND VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES

A GARDENER

SUMMARY

Chapter 15: Traffic and Paths

FOOT TRAFFIC, PATHS, AND STAIRS

POWER CARTS

NO CARTS TODAY!

CART PATHS

SUMMARY

Chapter 16: Changing Cups, Flagsticks, and Tee Markers

CUTTING HOLES AND CHANGING CUPS

CUP PLACEMENT AND FLAGS ON THE GREEN

THE TEEING GROUND

PLACING THE TEE MARKERS

OTHER ACCESSORIES

SUMMARY

Chapter 17: Rules of Golf That Affect Maintenance

WATER HAZARDS

OUT OF BOUNDS

GROUND UNDER REPAIR

CASUAL WATER

OBSTRUCTIONS

LOCAL RULES

SUMMARY

Chapter 18: Budgeting for Machinery and Tools

THE BUDGET

LEASING VERSUS BUYING

BUDGETING FOR THE CUT

PLANNING FOR CULTIVATING AND TOPDRESSING MACHINES

MAINTENANCE VEHICLES

SPRAYERS AND SPREADERS

TRACTORS, LOADERS, AND TRAILERS

TRUCKS

RAKING IT IN

PRACTICAL ESSENTIALS

SPECIALTY GREENKEEPING TOOLS

AN INVENTORY

SUMMARY

Chapter 19: The Grounds Maintenance Facility

THE MEETING ROOM

THE OFFICE

ESSENTIAL RECORDS

WORKERS’ STAFF ROOMS

THE MECHANICS’ SHOP AND OTHER WORK AREAS

CLEANUP AREA

EQUIPMENT STORAGE

FUEL STORAGE

PESTICIDE STORAGE

STORING MATERIALS AT THE FACILITY

SUMMARY

Chapter 20: Managing People

DAILY STAFF MEETING

CHECK, AND CHECK AGAIN

LOOK THE PART

BREAKS AND LUNCHTIME

CHECKING, CHECKING, AND CHECKING AGAIN

THE END OF THE DAY

HIRING THE RIGHT PERSON

DISMISSAL

INTERACTING WITH SALES REPRESENTATIVES

SUMMARY

Chapter 21: Green keeping Common Sense

SEVEN DEADLY SINS

THE SEVEN VENIAL SINS

THE SUPER SUPERS

SUMMARY

Chapter 22: Job Descriptions

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

ASSISTANT GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

GOLF COURSE MECHANIC

GOLF COURSE SPRAY TECHNICIAN

IRRIGATION SPECIALIST

GARDENER

MAINTENANCE CREW MEMBER

Index

About the Authors

Cover photograph: Courtesy of Michael Bavier

Cover design: Anne Michele Abbott

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Copyright © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax [phone], or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with the respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom.

For general information on our other products and services, or technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at 800-762-2974, outside the United States at 317-572-3993 or fax [phone].

Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com.

For more information about Wiley products, visit our Web site at www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Witteveen, Gordon. Practical golf course maintenance : the magic of greenkeeping / Gordon Witteveen, Michael Bavier. – 3rd ed. p. cm.Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-118-14374-2 (cloth); ISBN 978-1-118-40677-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-40678-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-41190-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-41191-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-45727-6 (ebk)

1. Golf courses – Maintenance. 2. Turf management. I. Bavier, Michael. II. Title.

GV975.W58 2012

796.352’068–dc23

2012011191

DEDICATED TOMary, my cherished wife, my best friend, my love

Foreword

Greenkeeping is a term considered to be archaic by some and even offensive to a few. Others affectionately cling to its historical context as the best encapsulation of what a modern golf course superintendent really does; he or she is, in a nutshell, the Keeper of the Greens.

Much has changed since Gordon Witteveen and Michael Bavier first wrote Practical Golf Course Maintenance, The Magic of Greenkeeping in 1998. I was fortunate enough to have read an early draft of the first edition while visiting with Gordon in the Turf Care Center of the Toronto Board of Trade Country Club that year. That visit was the first time I met Gordon and the start of a very fortuitous friendship that lasted until his death in late 2010.

I came to know Michael somewhat vicariously through Gordon’s tales of their worldwide travels, attending conferences, presenting their Magic of Greenkeeping seminars and spreading the gospel of growing good grass while raising a little hell upon occasion as well. A Canadian and an American, they were fast friends who rose through the ranks of their respective local and national organizations. They traveled economically and shared the common bonds of love of the game of golf and the challenge of providing the best surfaces upon which it is played.

Both Gordon and Mike spent the better part of 50 years of each of their lives successfully plying their trade, producing great conditions but also a legion of protégés each. If one were to ask them of which they are most proud, I’m certain both would indicate the latter. The human legacy endures far longer than the memory of a good round of golf.

Golf course superintendents have become much more technologically savvy over the years, with irrigation control via smartphone, GPS-guided devices, and remote soil sensors now commonplace. Gordon and Mike both embraced the challenges of new technology but also leaned heavily on intuition and the “get down on your knees and smell the grass” instinct developed over their “Twenty-five Years of Mistakes” (as one of their popular seminars was titled).

Neither was known for a flashy public profile (well, Gordon had his moments) or for raising the bar of costly maintenance standards. Rather, their long-term success hinged on consistency, conservativism, and continual communication.

Mistake avoidance is perhaps the paramount trait of the successful career golf course superintendent of today. And that is best learned not from books (except this one), college classes, or over the Internet, but most expediently through tutelage by experienced mentors like Witteveen and Bavier.

It is for freely sharing their wisdom in so many ways over so many years that I and the current generation of greenkeepers applaud and thank them.

Peter L. McCormickCornwall, Vermont

Preface

Practical Golf Course Maintenance was first published in 1998 and the book has been widely read, not just in North America, but beyond, in faraway places such as South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, to name but a few countries. Surprisingly, a good number of copies found their way to non-English-speaking countries like China, Thailand, and Slovenia. Many superintendents have taken ideas from the book and have posted these “practical” ideas on a general information board for their staff to view. Many turf schools are using the book as a text for their programs. Practical Golf Course Maintenance is an easy read and thorough introduction for all superintendents, general managers, golf professionals, and for all their assistants, as well as club officials, and all golfers who are searching for information and want to know and learn about all aspects of greenkeeping. As the title indicates, the approach is practical, based on the experience of its superintendent/authors. In the original text, everyday English was used and the use of any technical jargon was avoided, and this approach has been maintained in the third edition.

With the prodding of Latin American superintendents, Practical Golf Course Maintenance was translated into Spanish in 2003 and today remains the only text on the subject available to Spanish-speaking turfgrass managers.

The third edition also relates to the issue of the environment as it relates to golf. Superintendents have always enjoyed a reputation for being environmentally responsible, but the general public does not necessarily see it that way. Politicians have responded to voter concerns by enacting restrictive laws that limit how to control the pests that attack our grass. These new restrictive regulations are being addressed by superintendents and in most cases the results have proven to be beneficial to all concerned.

There are many environmental groups that are working together with the golf course industry to protect and maintain a safe environment for all mankind. Working in conjunction with these groups, many superintendents have created naturalized areas in the secondary roughs, resulting in many of our nation’s golf courses becoming conservation havens for animal and plant life (Figure P.1). While trying to preserve the environment, it became necessary for some regions and municipalities to ban the use of several pesticides. Although in some cases golf courses have been temporarily exempted, superintendents have learned to grow grass within the new guidelines.

Figure P.1 As a result of improved environmental practices,golf courses have become havens for wildlife.

In this edition, information in TIP form has been added that highlights several important facts or suggestions. New ideas about aerification applications are provided. While basic greenkeeping is much the same from one country to the next, there are regional differences affected by climate, and these are still addressed in this third edition.

The publication of many golf course related books in conjunction with the widespread use of the Internet has been beneficial for keeping oneself apprised of all the current trends in the golf course world. This third edition is still strongly influenced by knowledge that has been gained from online information exchanges. In the twenty-first century there have been more books that have been published on golf course maintenance than in the previous 100 years. Turf books should be an educational resource found in the office of all superintendents, and a copy of the third edition of Practical Golf Course Maintenance should be amongst these volumes.

Job security has become a major concern among contemporary superintendents. Maintenance techniques and “Greenkeeping Common Sense” practices are revealed in this third edition and can be helpful sources of information to keep one step ahead of the changing times.

Acknowledgments

First of all, I am very thankful for the previous works of my co-author, Gordon Witteveen for all his work and knowledge that was put forth in the previous editions. The original version of Practical Golf Course Maintenance, which was published in 1998, and the second edition published in 2005, which we coauthored, are the fundamental basis for this book. The third edition has been updated with innovative ideas using new technologies, addresses new concerns involving the environment as it relates to golf courses today, but still retains the information that is so vital to the success of maintaining golf courses with basic, practical knowledge that was important years ago and still is relevant today.

There are many friendly faces who have assisted this work with their tips and hands-on knowledge. Many have answered questions, reviewed chapters, or offered technical assistance and support. The following are those I would like to thank for their help: Bob Lohmann, golf course architect; Ted Fist, product manager for SandMat; Jim McLouglin, strategic career planner; Peter McCormick and the members of TurfNet.com; and Eric Swanson, Mike Smith, Mark Bobb, Bryan Taylor, Michael Bavier, Jr., Tim Hiers, Robert Randquist, all fellow golf course superintendents.

There may be others that have been inadvertently omitted that have also had an impact on this edition.

I wish to thank them all.

1

Greens

Of all the playing areas on the golf course, the most significant is the green. Nearly 40 percent of all golf shots are played on and around the green. Golfers may tolerate mediocre fairways, inferior bunkers, and sparse tees, but they expect, and deserve, puttable, near perfect greens. When a golf ball rolls onto the green toward the hole, nothing must impede it from its true path. The factor that most affects the roll of the ball is the smoothness of the putting surface. Only shaving the green with a sharp mower will ensure that the surface allows the golf ball to roll accurately and effortlessly.