The Dye Preserve
Jupiter, Florida
Visit Date: December 29, 2014
Present:
Mr. Joe Webster, Owner
Mr. Jim Kilgore, Golf Course Superintendent
Mr. Matt Doyle, Director of Golf
Mr. John Foy, Director, USGA Green Section
United States Golf Association
John H. Foy, Director | Green Section | Florida Region
PO Box 1087 | Hobe Sound, Florida, 33475 | (772) 546-2620 | (772) 546-4653 | [email protected]
USGA Green Section Mission: The USGA Green Section are leaders in developing and disseminating
agronomically, environmentally, and economically sustainable management practices. We help golf facilities
maintain better playing conditions for better golf through science-based and practical solutions.
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As a not-for-profit agency that is free from commercial connections, the USGA Course
Consulting Service (CCS) is uniquely able to provide the impartial guidance your facility
needs to make informed decisions. Backed by the largest private turfgrass research
program in the world and equipped with scientific tools, USGA agronomists are trained
to thoroughly identify key issues and offer site specific recommendations. Having no
financial interest in any products or services, we operate with autonomy, so that the
interests of the individual golf course are our first and only priority.
On behalf of the USGA Green Section it was a pleasure to visit The Dye Preserve Golf
Club. I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the hospitality
afforded to me during the site visit. On one other occasion a brief stop-by visit was
made to The Dye Preserve to observe the TifGrand short game practice green;
however, this was the first official Course Consulting Service (CCS) visit to the club. The
following is a summary of the key topics reviewed, along with the suggestions and
recommendations offered to assist in providing course conditions in keeping with
expectations and standards of the club.
PUTTING GREENS
General Findings: During the preliminary meeting at the clubhouse, it was reported that
the putting greens had been renovated 12 years ago using a two-layer method of
construction and the ultradwarf bermudagrass cultivar TifEagle was planted as the base
turf cover. It was also reported that subsequently, satisfactory putting green conditioning
had been provided. However, difficulties have begun to be experienced in being able to
maintain dry and firm surface conditions and the type of play character desired on a
consistent basis. The challenges that have been experienced in providing the type of
putting green conditioning desired was the primary concern and focus of the CCS site
visit.
During the tour of the course and examination of the putting greens it was found that a
dense and generally healthy TifEagle turf cover was being maintained. Examination of
profile samples revealed that a 4 to 5-inch organic mat layer existed in the upper
rootzone. The depth of the mat layer was in keeping with what would be expected given
the age of the putting greens. However, based on visual examination, the percentage of
organic matter accumulation is greater than desired and is a primary contributing factor
to the persistence of soft and wet surface conditions. Along with reducing and
controlling organic matter accumulation for increased moisture infiltration and rootzone
gas exchange, several suggestions and recommendations were offered for adjustments
in routine management practices to achieve optimum putting green performance over
both the short and long term.
Recommendations
The ultradwarf bermudagrass cultivars Champion, Mini-Verde and TifEagle possess
several improved performance characteristics, such as a finer leaf blade, greater
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density and tolerance to lower heights of cut compared to the old standard of Tifdwarf.
These characteristics make it possible to provide a smoother, truer ball roll and if
desired, a fast to very fast putting speed. However, it was recognized early on that they
also have a faster rate of thatch and organic matter generation. This is especially true in
Florida and even when very judicious nitrogen fertilization is practiced. Based on
university research and field experiences, upper rootzone organic matter accumulation
should not exceed 4% by weight. Excessive organic matter is a primary stress factor
with bermudagrass putting greens and leads to secondary stresses such as excessive
moisture retention, low rootzone oxygen levels, reduced water infiltration and decreased
gas exchange. Along with negatively impacting root system development and general
turf health, naturally with excessive rootzone organic matter a wetter and softer surface
condition is a problem. Aggressive core aeration in the summer is necessary to
physically reduce and control organic matter accumulation, in combination with
topdressing on a frequent basis, which provides dilution.
Picture: The percentage of organic matter accumulation in the upper rootzone of the putting greens is
greater than desired for optimum overall performance. This is a primary contributing factor to the
persistence of wetter and softer surface conditions.
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Most golfers do not like to see any sand on putting greens, yet having particles
incorporated into the turf canopy aids in providing a smoother, truer ball roll and faster
putting speeds. Frequent topdressing of ultradwarf putting greens is also needed for
dilution of the significant amount of organic matter generated by ultradwarf
bermudagrass putting greens on an annual basis. At the vast majority of courses that I
work with, light topdressing with approximately 0.5 cubic ft. of sand per 1000 sq. ft. is
performed at least every two weeks, and ideally once a week when sustained turf
growth is occurring. During the winter months when turf growth is slower, there are
occasions when the interval between topdressing applications is sometimes extended.
Due to the density of TifEagle in combination with the typical low putting green heights
of cut maintained, incorporation of coarse to very coarse sand particles is more difficult
and this is a concern because of the damage to cutting units and impact on playability.
Thus, as discussed, at many courses in South Florida dry bagged sand is applied with
rotary fertilizer spreaders throughout the winter season. Along with a reduced
percentage of coarse to very coarse particles, dry sand is much easier to incorporate
into the turf canopy. Dry sand is also available in bulk, and at some courses is stored in
either covered storage bins or a sand silo.
Picture: At Mariner Sands Country Club in Stuart, Florida, a canvas roof structure with a roll-up front door
was constructed to keep the topdressing sand dry and prevent debris contamination.
Verticutting or use of mower mounted groomer attachments prior to topdressing is a
common practice at many courses to slightly “open up” the turf canopy and facilitate
sand incorporation. Naturally care needs to be exercised during the late fall and winter
not to exert excessive mechanical stress on the turf or thin out the canopy during the
time when sustained active growth is not occurring. Typically during this time the
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verticutter or groomer blades are set to operate at 0 to 0.010-inch below the effective
height of cut. Also, discretion needs to be exercised and verticutting or grooming not
performed when very stressful environmental conditions are prevailing. Furthermore,
during the late fall, winter and early spring, use of mower mounted brushes two to four
times per week is a good option for continuing to promote a dense and upright shoot
growth character without exerting excessive mechanical stress on the turf. Please see
the article, Bring Back Brushing for additional information on this surface management
practice.
The accepted standards for putting green conditioning and quality have risen rather
dramatically over the past 10 to 15 years. To provide consistent and top quality
conditioning in keeping with expectations, intensive management and practices
conducted on a timely basis are absolutely necessary. For maximum effectiveness and
efficiency, the staff does need to be provided the opportunity/time to conduct practices
such as topdressing, even during the winter when peak seasonal play is being hosted.
While a full-day closure for course maintenance, once a week during the winter season
is more than likely not an option, it would be strongly recommended that at least a twohour window, or ideally a half-day closure be allowed and maintained as part of the
operating policy for the club going forward. As mentioned, at a couple of clubs that I
work with, once a week the golfers are not allowed to tee off until 10:00 am so that the
staff is able to get out and stay ahead of play when conducting topdressing applications
and other needed routine maintenance practices (see, Routinely Closing the Course for
Maintenance and It’s Time to Commit).
As also discussed during the site visit, a more aggressive summertime core aeration
program will be needed going forward to reduce and control organic matter
accumulation in the upper rootzone of the putting greens. In the meantime, regular
venting of the putting greens with small diameter solid tines would be recommended.
The beneficial effects of increased moisture infiltration and rootzone gas exchange last
for six to eight weeks following standard coring operations, removal of the debris
generated and backfilling the holes with topdressing sand. Venting of the putting greens
during the fall, winter and spring is recommended to help maintain good moisture
infiltration without causing any real surface disruption. The beneficial effects are
somewhat temporary, and thus this process needs to be repeated every three to four
weeks. Venting should not be performed when nighttime temperatures in the 50° range
or colder are expected. This is because of the faster decline in soil temperatures that
can occur and also the potential damage to the turf’s surface and slow recovery.
With regard to soil moisture management, again, moisture meters are very useful tools
for being able to accurately measure volumetric moisture content and in turn fine-tuning
of supplemental irrigation. The use of soil moisture meters is discussed in more detail in
the articles, Precision Water Management on Putting Greens, Identify Soil Moisture
Status More Accurately Than Ever Before, and A Giant Leap Forward. It would be
reiterated that every set of putting greens is unique and thus some time must be spent
initially to determine the optimum volumetric soil moisture content range and the point
where irrigation needs to be initiated to prevent the onset of drought stress. Also, and
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even with the absolute best state of the art irrigation system, hand watering of putting
greens is necessary at times to maintain as dry and firm as possible surface conditions .
With regard to wetting agents, these are also useful moisture management tools. The
main benefits of wetting agents are that they improve moisture infiltration, distribution in
the upper rootzone and alleviate hydrophobic localized dry spots. However, today there
are a large number of wetting agents and surfactants available and it can be quite
confusing when trying to select the best suited product. During the fall and winter when
evapotranspiration rates are low, a penetrant type material is best, and at other courses
in the area Cascade, Revolution, Hydro Wet and Lesco Wet are some of the more
commonly used materials. Please see the articles, Understanding the Different Wetting
Agent Chemistries and Wetting Agents Improve Rootzone Moisture Distribution for a
further discussion on this topic.
Without a doubt, core aeration of putting greens is one of the most disliked
management practices because of the surface disruptions and golfer inconveniences
caused. Yet again, it is an absolutely necessary practice for managing rootzone
performance and physical characteristics. Due to the rate of organic matter generation
that occurs with the ultradwarf bermudagrasses in South Florida, it is recommended that
the summertime core aeration program impact 20% to 25% of the total surface area.
Depending on tine size diameter and the number of holes per sq. ft. produced, three to
four coring replications are required to hit this target. It would be stressed again that
conducting more frequent replications using smaller diameter tines that do not cause as
much surface disruption is not a sound or recommended strategy. This is because of
the reduced amount of organic material that is removed from the rootzone and not being
able to incorporate topdressing sand to completely backfill the holes created. As a
general rule, the use of 0.5-inch diameter tines is recommended as the base for the
summertime aerification program. The cores and debris generated should be
completely removed and the holes backfilled with topdressing sand. At a growing
number of courses, topdressing prior to core aeration is being performed to help
minimize surface damage and tire rutting.
The need to accommodate both member play and tournaments during the late spring to
early summer is fully understood. However, based on experiences, initiating the coring
program in late April to mid-May is recommended. Along with relieving the buildup of
surface compaction and starting the process to reduce organic matter accumulation,
initiating the coring program as soon as sustained active growth has resumed allows for
a faster recovery. Another coring replication should be conducted in six to eight weeks
and the final replication should be conducted in early to mid-September. The final coring
is very important for helping to prepare the putting greens for the next winter season.
However, because intense environmental stress conditions are typically occurring
during this time, care must also be exercised in the aggressiveness of cultural
management practices such as core aeration and verticutting.
The combination of organic matter accumulation and frequent topdressing does result in
the depth of the organic mat layer progressively increasing. The point is reached where
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the mat layer is no longer fully penetrated by standard coring operations. Also as
pointed out during the visit, compaction or cultivation layers develop just below the
effective operating depth of standard aeration operations. This results in additional
restrictions in moisture percolation and gas exchange through the entire profile. Once
putting greens are six to eight years old, conducting some type of deep aeration
operation annually is recommended.
While deep punch or drill operations have been the most common, the DryJect sand
injection process is an alternative that has been rapidly gaining popularity. This is
because along with being able to incorporate a quantity of sand into and through the
mat layer for increased dilution and creating more permanent channels for moisture
infiltration, the DryJect process causes the least amount of surface disruption. At many
courses, the DryJect process is being conducted immediately following a standard
coring operation. Taking all factors into consideration, this strategy would be
recommended at The Dye Preserve. The DryJect process could be conducted after the
second or final core aeration of the putting greens in September. It would be stressed
that the DryJect process is a supplement to, and not a replacement for core aeration.
This is available as a contract service and for more information you should contact Mr.
Frank Sbarro at (305) 613-2837 or [email protected].
It would further be reiterated that it could take two to four years for the above discussed
adjustments and changes in putting green management practices to take full effect and
produce a marked and permanent improvement in the performance character of the
putting greens.
A
separate
but
related
moisture management issue is
surface drainage. Even when
putting greens are constructed
with extensive sub-surface
drainage systems, maintaining
unrestricted surface drainage
is still needed. A commonly
encountered
problem
on
courses throughout the region
is collar ridges that block
surface drainage off of the
putting greens. The resulting
persistence of a moisture
saturated rootzone negatively
impacts turf health and quality.
Collar ridges can also affect the play of approach and chip shots onto putting greens.
During the tour of the course it was noted that while there were no extremely
pronounced collar ridges, there were many areas where surface drainage was
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restricted. Double core aerifying of the collars followed by removal of the debris and
then rolling with a one to two ton unit was suggested to reestablish unrestricted surface
drainage. This process should be conducted once or twice annually as part of the
routine management program.
Trying to maintain very fast championship type putting speeds is not recommended
when hosting daily member play and can be a recipe for turfgrass failure. However, at
all top private clubs, a consistent, smooth true ball roll and fast putting speed is desired
and expected. While TifEagle can tolerate extremely low heights of cut, continual close
mowing does exert significant mechanical stress on the turf and weakens root system
development.
It would also be pointed out that height of cut is not the total answer for being able to
provide a smooth, true ball roll and fast putting speed. At courses where consistent top
quality putting green conditions are provided, double cutting or mowing and rolling five
to seven times per week during the primary season is typically being performed. This
does however increase the amount of mechanical wear and stress exerted on the turf,
particularly around the perimeters of the putting greens.
As discussed during the site visit, target area rolling 20 to 30 ft. around the hole location
a couple of times a week would be a good option for further increasing the consistency
in the play character of the putting greens without exerting more wear and stress on the
perimeter areas. For review purposes, please see the articles, Going for the Gold With
the Ultradwarf Bermudagrasses, Lessons Learned with the Ultradwarf Bermudagrasses
in Florida, and Green Speed:Trick or Treat.
Minimizing any and all other growth limiting factors is naturally important for being able
to maintain both a healthy turf cover and good quality conditioning over the short and
long term. The bermudagrasses are one of the least shade tolerant turf species sued
and close cut putting greens require a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight to
support the persistence of a dense and healthy turf cover. It has also been determined
that TifEagle and the other ultradwarf cultivars have a cumulative sunlight requirement,
and thus afternoon shade can be just as detrimental as morning shade.
During the tour of the course it was noted that there were selected putting greens, and
other areas where shade was a problem, especially during the fall, winter and spring
months. The below Sun Seeker image shows the path of the sun during the early
morning, and the dense vegetation on the right hand side of the 8th putting green that
causes heavy shading. Selective pruning and tree removal on the left hand side of the
sun track line is needed. In Palm Beach County, cypress trees are a protected species,
but it would be suggested to use the Sun Seeker app (available for I-Phone/I-Pad
devices) to gain permitting for needed tree removal in critical locations.
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Finally as far as the putting greens, for the past two to three years and again this year,
environmental conditions during the late fall and early winter have been far from ideal
for sustained healthy turf growth. High relative humidity and dew points in combination
with reduced sunlight due to moderate to heavy cloud cover have also been extremely
favorable to outbreaks of leaf spot and other diseases. For many years it has been a
standard recommendation to closely monitor for the development of diseases such as
Bipolaris leaf spot and to conduct curative fungicide treatments as needed. However,
because of the changes in the fall and early winter weather patterns in South Florida,
employing a preventative fungicide treatment program would be advised during the time
when disease pressure is extremely high. Timely, regular applications of lower
preventative rates of fungicides have proven to be much more successful in controlling
outbreaks and are also more cost effective.
TEES, FAIRWAYS AND ROUGHS
General Findings: While the putting greens were the primary focus during the CCS site
visit, various other aspects of course management were reviewed and discussed.
During the tour of the course it was found that along with a dense and healthy turf
cover, appropriate conditioning was being maintained on the tees and through the
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fairway and primary rough areas. General course presentation was quite good. The
previously conducted project to convert from TifSport to Celebration bermudagrass
through the fairways and surround areas of the putting greens was a successful
endeavor. This has made it possible to provide improved and more consistent play and
aesthetic characteristics in these areas.
Recommendations
Similar to a few other courses in the area, seashore paspalum is being maintained as
the base turf on the tees. While its primary attribute is better tolerance to poor quality
(high salt content) irrigation water and soils, it is also a very aesthetically attractive
turfgrass. However, there is not and probably never will be a perfectly adapted and low
maintenance turfgrass for every situation. Along with generating significant organic
matter, a high incidence of disease compared to bermudagrasses is a management
concern with seashore paspalum. Dollar Spot and patch diseases during the fall and
early winter are the primary problems; and while severe damage and turf loss does not
typically occur, disease outbreaks negatively affect the aesthetic character of the
paspalum. Since the paspalum is not actively growing during this time, producing any
degree of recovery is difficult and thus at a lot of courses preventative fungicide
treatments from October through January or February are conducted as part of the
routine management program.
As also discussed, increased topdressing of the tees would be strongly encouraged.
Similar to the putting greens, dilution of the organic mat layer that has built up is needed
to be able to provide a drier, firmer and smoother surface condition. Given the quality of
the base soil of the tees in combination with not having sub-surface drainage systems,
an aggressive topdressing program is needed to modify and improve the top 4 to 6inches of the primary rootzone of the tees. Beyond improving surface and playing
conditions, a drier profile character would be helpful in minimizing, but certainly not
eliminating, disease and weed pest problems. A medium to heavy rate topdressing with
a coarse to very coarse sand once a month throughout the growing season would be
recommended.
Difficulties in controlling sedge weed infestations on the paspalum tees was noted as a
management concern. Sedges and kyllinga type weeds are definitely more problematic
in locations with heavier and wetter soil conditions. Thus again, modifying and
improving the upper rootzone area of the tees could be viewed as part of an integrated
pest management program. Yet, it would also be pointed out that environmental
conditions in South Florida are very favorable to the proliferation of weeds, diseases
and other turfgrass pest problems. Eradication of any of these turfgrass pest problems
is economically and environmentally impossible, thus a basic management philosophy
of establishing and maintaining an acceptable level of control must be practiced.
Maintaining an acceptable level of control or suppression is an ongoing battle and
pesticide treatments are necessary.
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As far as controlling sedges and kyllinga type weeds in seashore paspalum,
halosulfuron (Sedge Hammer) and sulfentrazone (Dismiss) are the two recommended
options. With both of these post-emergent herbicides, timely repeat applications are
necessary for complete control, and during cooler times of the year their activity is much
slower. Also, temporary discoloration of the St. Augustine that is around the tees can
occur with over-sprays of these products.
Celebration bermudagrass has rapidly gained popularity and use on courses throughout
the region. This is because of its better performance, especially during the fall, winter
and spring, compared to Tifway (419) and TifSport bermudagrass. It was a little bit
surprising to find that some spot infestations of TifSport had become reestablished in
areas where wetter fairway soil conditions persist. Given the very aggressive growth
habit of Celebration, it still would be expected to be the dominant turf cover over the
long term. The aggressive growth habit of Celebration is a concern because of its ability
to encroach into putting green perimeters, and thus a mechanical edging program is
recommended. While also initially a concern, it has been found that significant additional
and faster thatch and organic matter accumulation has not occurred with Celebration
when good basic management programs are employed. Here too, for review purposes
please see the article, Bermudagrass Fairway Management, which provides a further
discussion on this subject.
CLOSING STATEMENTS
Thank you for the opportunity to visit and discuss your golf course maintenance
operation as part of the USGA Green Section Turf Advisory Service. In addition to this
visit and report, please do not hesitate to contact our office at any time during the year
with further questions to take full advantage of our service. We look forward to being of
service to you on a yearly basis for the betterment of your golf course.
Sincerely,
John H. Foy
Director, Florida Region
USGA Green Section
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