A crash course in golf course management to help you achieve professional results

Now that you have decided to grow your own green, you need to set up a golf course management plan. Let's look at some of the things golf course superintendents do as part of their green maintenance programs . The most important thing is to be sure that the turf has all of the conditions necessary for good growth. Remember, the turf consists of millions of living plants, and like us, if they have everything they need to be healthy, they will be strong and tougher when conditions are less than perfect.

First, let's start with the plants themselves . Not all grass plants are alike, and we want to select plants that will survive both a low height of cut and the weather conditions of our region. Generally, in warmer climates that will be bermudagrass, and in climates that get winters where temperatures drop below freezing it would be bentgrass or Poa Annua.

Once we have picked the right type of turf, we need to keep it strong and healthy. The most important things that affect turf health are sunlight, air movement, irrigation and drainage. Keeping in mind that the grasses used for putting greens are plants that need full light, you need to make sure the green location will have a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of full sunlight a day, and the most important light is morning light. Also, keep in mind that during the year the hours and angles of sunlight per day changes significantly, but you can get a good average by observing the light on the first day of spring or fall. A simple way to determine the hours of sunlight is to take pictures of your site every hour from sunrise to sunset. Finally, even if you do have enough light presently, consider the potential future conditions of the site, such as young trees that may block sunlight in the future.

After light, wind is the next crucial ingredient. Air movement is very important, particularly during hot summer days when the turf’s only methods of cooling itself is by evaporating water from its leaves which is known as evapotranspiration. You don’t need a gale force wind, enough to move the flag on the pin is adequate. Sometimes the reason for a lack of air movement is the surrounding terrain such as greens built in protected valleys, or at the bottom of severe slopes, however, the most common reason is too many trees too close to the green. A typical part of a golf course management program is monitor the growth of trees over years to be sure they do not block good light and air movement.

Once you have determined that your site is suitable we have to consider the most important element the turf needs for its survival. No, not fertilizer…water! And to paraphrase an old superintendent proverb, “it is as important to be able to put water on the green quickly as it is to get it off.” A good golf course management program will always have a good watering system that will give good even coverage throughout the green. Then when Mother Nature sends you too much water, you need a way of removing it. This is done through drainage, either good surface movement or subsurface drainage pipes.

Finally, the last thing your golf course management program needs is a good agronomic plan. Fertilizer needs should be based on soil test results. Aerating and topdressing are two other important practices. A home green will usually get less wear and tear than a green at a golf course, so these methods are your principle ways of controlling the natural organic layer that will develop (better known as thatch). Oh, and don’t forget to cut the turf on a daily basis!

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