Characteristics of the best playing surfaces

Discusses the playing surfaces for golf and their characteristics. Presented in Beijing and Bangkok at The R&A Seminar on Sustainable Golf Course Design, Renovation, and Maintenance in Asia.

Transcript

1. Characteristics of the best playing surfaces Micah Woods Chief Scientist | Asian Turfgrass Center www.asianturfgrass.com The R&A Seminar on Sustainable Golf Course Design, Renovation, and Maintenance in Asia March 2016
2. Optimum playing surface: smooth, bounce, roll fine fescue Scotland
3. bentgrass & bluegrass Kunming Focus on the primary playing areas
4. Focus on the primary playing areas bermudagrass Hanoi
5. Smooth, bounce, roll bermuda & carpetgrass Rayong, Thailand
6. Smooth, bounce, roll manilagrass & carpetgrass Chonburi, Thailand
7. Tifeagle & manilagrass Thailand Smooth, bounce, roll
8. Tifeagle & manilagrass Thailand Smooth, bounce, roll
9. Paspalum & ryegrass Shanghai Smooth, bounce, roll?
10. Tools for data collection on the golf course creeping bentgrass Yamanashi, Japan
11. Data, what is it good for? The data are only useful when they can be used as a decision making tool. • Identify a target range. • Learn what affects green speed, surface hardness, and soil moisture. • Use data and that knowledge to work more efficiently and improve playing conditions. fine fescue England
12. Green speed, measured with a stimpmeter, as ball roll distance in feet. seashore paspalum Thailand
14. Modify the green speed by adjusting … - the mowing height - frequency of rolling - N rate - plant water status - grass species
15. Lightweight rolling is very effective in increasing green speed. fine fescue Scotland
16. Surface hardness, which I've measured with a Clegg hammer as Gmax. bermudagrass Singapore
17. Surface hardness, which I've measured with a Clegg hammer as Gmax. bermudagrass Singapore
19. Modify the green hardness by adjusting … - soil organic matter - soil moisture content - sand topdressing - scarification - coring - other types of cultivation
20. Sand topdressing is an important practice to control surface hardness. bermudagrass Thailand
21. Volumetric water content measured with a Theta-probe or TDR-300 in %. bermudagrass Singapore
23. Modify the soil moisture by adjusting … - irrigation - soil organic matter / sand topdressing - drainage
24. When organic matter accumulates, soil moisture can be high, with soft surfaces. seashore paspalum Hong Kong
25. To get better control of soil water, manage the accumulation of soil organic matter. seashore paspalum Hong Kong
27. Smooth, bounce, roll bentgrass & bluegrass Kunming