Practical solutions for keeping inputs to a minimum

Discusses things that can be done to reduce inputs during golf course construction and during operation of the course after opening. Presented in Beijing and Bangkok at The R&A Seminar on Sustainable Golf Course Design, Renovation, and Maintenance in Asia.

Transcript

1. Practical solutions for keeping inputs to a minimum 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. 1. Minimize maintained turf Kunming
3. Minimizing maintained turf reduces inputs like water, fertilizer, and energy. tall fescue rough Suzhou
4. 2. Choose grass species that require fewer inputs bluegrass & ryegrass Shanghai, 2000
5. Non-overseeded warm-season grass has low inputs in transition zone bermudagrass fairway Suzhou, 2014
6. 3. Use soil on site. Don't sandcap.
7. Tremendous ground contours, excellent playability. But no sandcap. bentgrass & ryegrass USA
8. What happens when we grow turf in sand? 1. Sand has low water holding capacity – we have to add more water. 2. Sand has low nutrient holding capacity – we have to add more fertilizer. 3. When more water and fertilizer are added, the grass grows more.
9. Once a sandcap is in place, the organic matter must be managed. organic layer over sandcap Singapore
12. why do we core aerify greens? creeping bentgrass Japan
13. why do we apply sand topdressing to greens? Tifeagle bermudagrass Thailand
14. If the organic matter is not managed, greens fail. Once a fairway is sandcapped, that same work of organic matter removal and dilution with sand must be done on the entire sandcapped area. sandcapped seashore paspalum fairway, Hong Kong
15. Sandcapped seashore paspalum fairways, no rain for previous 21 days. Seashore paspalum Thailand
16. An alternative: drainage, plus sand added as topdressing Poa annua & ryegrass USA
17. An alternative: drainage, plus sand added as topdressing fairway topdresser USA
19. “The end result is a well- drained, stable, sand- based field at a fraction of the cost required for other renovation processes.” this & other articles at bit.ly/grass_contour
20. 4. Rent or purchase old equipment for the grow-in. Avoid damaging new equipment at the grow-in stage.
21. 5. Have the golf course superintendent involved from the start. Preferably the same superintendent who will maintain the course after opening. Source everything yourself. Don't just hire a general contractor and let them do it. bermudagrass Hanoi
22. 6. Do it right the first time. Mistakes at the time of construction are difficult to fix. path & drainage Japan
23. 7. Measure year after year, and take steps to reduce: • water • fertilizer • pesticides • energy from GCM China, 2014
24. bermudagrass Guangzhou And, participate in an environmental management/certification program.