Turf Pitches to Turf Paddocks By Michael Sutton AusGAP General Manager
AusGAP flags in a research area
The last 12 months have been busy, exciting, daunting and intriguing. It has seen me leave the hands-on roll of greenkeeping, in which I have been part of for nearly 30 years in some shape or form and commence the role as General Manager for AusGAP. Having worked in hands-on roles within both the turf and horticulture industries (most recently as Campbelltown Sports Stadium’s Sports Turf Manager) for such a long time, the transition into my new role within turf certification for AusGAP has not been without its challenges. However, it has been a tremendous change and everyone that I work with and have worked with along the way so far, has made this transition easier than expected. The Role AusGAP is an independent turf quality assurance business that operates under the International Turfgrass Genetic Assurance Program (ITGAP) system and is the only authorised agent outside of the USA to be endorsed by the owned and governed Georgia Crop Improvement Association. The key objectives of the AusGAP program are to ensure quality assurance and genetic purity for turfgrasses and provide an operational system to support
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turf producers nationally, with the tools to improve farm practices and also turf quality for the end user.
the pleasure of visiting several turf farms – all unique, but all showing the highest standard of turf production.
Turfgrass research and development (R&D) is incorporated and undertaken in the AusGAP program, involving but not limited to the following;
In mid-November I was part of the design and construction of a golf hole at the research facility. This particular construction was conducted in order to assess the real-life application of new turfgrasses bred for the golfing market within Australian conditions.
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assisting farms with their own varietal R&D,
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undertaking trial work on varieties such as Hybrid Bermuda, Zoysia japonica, Zoysia macrantha and Zoysia matrella at NSW office site,
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participation in ongoing STRI trials with turfgrass comparisons.
The Road to Date My first few months were extremely gratifying with the welcoming I received from the AusGAP Certified turf growers and their staff when meeting everyone during the initial farm visits, from South East Queensland to Victoria. My first week with AusGAP started in November and involved AusGAP training followed by a quick trip to Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, before the return drive all the way back to the AusGAP office in NSW. It was a journey of nearly half of the southeast coast of the country, where I had
Construction included the establishment of a bunker, fairway and green, tee box and rough areas, and irrigation installation. In late November through to early December we planted and laid turf on this area with the following turf varieties being used: •
Sir Grange Zoysia – Laid on the tee box, fairway, bunker and green surrounds. Cutting height ranging from 10mm to unmown using both cylinder and rotary mowers. Mowing assessment conducted to assess suitability to different practices.
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Primo Zoysia – Planted from grow cells to form the green and cut with a cylinder mower only with a current cut height of 4mm.
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11 new Zoysia varieties under research and development were planted from
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