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October 1, 2010 -- Volume 48, Number 17

Guest Author - Robert T. Jones, Jr.
Why Keep Putting Greens Soft?
Robert T. Jones, Jr.,
Atlanta
Athletic Club
It is claimed by those in close touch with greenkeeping practices that much of the difficulty in maintaining putting greens is due to the excessive use of water and that greenkeepers and green committees point out that they water heavily in self-defense because golfers want soft greens. I have been asked to say how I regard the practice of keeping putting surfaces soft, even soggy, looking at the question purely from the player's standpoint.
 
There can be little question that the great mass of golfers in the United States prefer their greens very soft. Such a condition makes the play much easier for all classes of players and is, in a great measure, responsible for the fact that tournament scoring is uniformly lower in the United States than on seaside links in the British Isles. The difference is attributable more to the excessive use of water on putting greens in the United States than to the much-talked-of seaside gales in the British Isles, which, after all, do not blow constantly.
 
You really should read the rest of this article which was first publiished in The Bulletin of the United States Golf Association Green Section. February, 1932.
 
Making Green Committees More Productive
Green Committees can do a lot of good - and, on occasion, cause a few problems! These resources will help ensure that your committee is an asset. 
by the USGA Green Section Staff
Wanted signAs a Green Committee member, you have the responsibility to help oversee and direct considerable expenditures for the maintenance and improvement of the golf course. The position is an important one that is alive with challenge, potential and opportunity. Before becoming a member of the Green Committee, you undoubtedly held a certain pride in your home course. Now you share directly in the responsibility of maintaining this pride for the golf course.
 
The USGA Green Section will help you achieve this goal. We have published many articles on committee management, the most inclusive and current of which can be obtained free-of-charge by following this link - A Guide for Green Committee Members.
 
Free on-line course on USGA University for the first 25 respondents!
 
We also have created an interactive, media-rich, on-line training course for everyone involved in golf course management. Welcome to the Green Committee is self-paced and will prove invaluable to Green Committee chairs, committee members, and general managers. Although this is normally a fee-based course, the first 25 respondents can take the course free of charge. E-mail Mary McConnell of the Green Section at mmcconnell@usga.org with your name and e-mail address to enroll in this course.
 
Intro to course
 
 
Regional Updates From Across The Country
Timely advice and important news
by the USGA Green Section Staff 
Mid-Atlantic gifFrom the Mid-Atlantic Region
What a Year! The Challenges Continue
by Keith Happ, senior agronomist
 
Drought stress has a firm grasp on much of the Mid-Atlantic Region.  Although dry weather is good for the golfer, it makes it very difficult for the turf manager to establish new sod, germinate new seed, and, most of all, prepare the turf for winter.   Recovery of damaged areas is very slow for this time of year, due to lack of rain.  As of this update, many turf managers are faced with making difficult decisions about the care of the course due to water shortages!  Read this entire article
 
Florida RegionFrom the Florida Region
End Of Summer? Not Yet in Florida
by John Foy, director
 
Although we already knew it, the National Weather Service recently confirmed that record-breaking heat was experienced through the eastern two-thirds of the country during the summer of 2010.  For Florida, this was the second hottest summer to occur since records have been kept.  Bermudagrass and other warm season species, such as seashore paspalum, possess good heat tolerance, yet, there are limits, and the hot temperatures of the summer have had an impact.  This is especially the case with ultradwarf bermudagrass putting greens. Read this entire article
 
 
Bacterial Wilt Survey Results 
by the USGA Green Section Staff

Acidovorax avenae attacking the vascular tissue of the plant. (Reproduced from Giordano, P. R., Vargas, J. M., Jr., Detweiler, A. R., Dykema, N. M., and Yan, L. 2010.) First report of a bacterial disease on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) caused by Acidovorax spp. in the United States. Plant Disease 94:922

Bacterial wilt micrograph
Last week's Record included an on-line survey regarding bacterial wilt on bentgrass greens. Although a large number of readers viewed the results, the number of survey participants was limited to the point that one has to be very careful when interpreting the results.
 
Here are the highlights: 
 
51 people participated in the survey
 
30 suspected they had bacterial wilt on their greens
 
25 submitted samples to a laboratory for analysis
 
23 had laboratory confirmed diagnosis of bacterial wilt on the samples
 
The bacterium Acidovorax avenae was identified in 8 cases.
 
A variety of diagnostic laboratories were utilized by the respondents.

13 sent samples to the University of Rhode Island
6 to Rutgers University
5 to Michigan State University
3 to Turf Diagnostics
1 each to Purdue University and North Carolina State

 
Reproduced from Giordano, P. R., Vargas, J. M., Jr., Detweiler, A. R., Dykema, N. M., and Yan, L. 2010. First report of a bacterial disease on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) caused by Acidovorax spp. in the United States. Plant Disease 94:922.
 

 
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