Tennessee Turfgrass - December / January 2022

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

USING RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL TURFGRASS EVALUATION PROGRAM (NTEP) DON’T MISS THE

56th ANNUAL TTA CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW JANUARY 10 – 12, 2022 1

Turfgrasses for the 21st Century

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The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

TABLE OF CONTENTS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022

12 20 28 32 36

Upcoming Event — 56th Annual TTA Conference Member Spotlight on Cal Hill

28

Cover Story — Using Results from the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) Feature — NC State Turfgrass Releases Lobo™ Zoysiagrass Feature — Mid-Season Sports Field Checkup

DEPARTMENTS Index of Advertisers

5

From the TTA President

6

From the MAGCSA President

8

From the MTGCSA President

8

News from UT

10

Calendar of Events

27

The Turfgrass Team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

43

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: THETURFZONE.COM

4

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022

32

ADVERTISER INDEX A & W Southern Sod Farms................................... 39 www.awssod.com

Buy Sod, Inc.............................................................. 5 www.buysod.com

BWI Companies, Inc................................................ 25 www.bwicompanies.com

Carolina Green Corp................................................ 43 www.cgcfields.com

Coosa Valley Turf Farms......................................... 41 www.coosavalleyturffarms.com

DryJect – PA........................................................... 15 www.dryject.us

GrassMasters Sod Farm......................................... 13 grassmastersindiana.com

Greene County Fertilizer Co.................................... 27 www.greenecountyfert.com

Greenville Turf & Tractor, Inc................................. 21 www.greenvilleturf.com

Jackson Sand.......................................................... 25 www.jacksonsand.com

KWMI / K & W Products, Inc................................. 37 www.KWMIequipment.com

Leading Edge Communications............................... 29 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

McCurdy Sod Farms, LLC........................................ 35 www.mccurdysodfarms.com

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAY WITH

Mid Tenn Turf......................................................... 11 www.midtennturf.com

Modern Turf, Inc..................................................... 27 www.modernturf.com

NewLife Turf, Inc.................................................... 23 www.newlifeturf.com

North Georgia Turf Company, Inc............................. 9 www.ngturf.com

Palmers Turf............................................................ 17 www.palmersturf.com

Bart Cash, Territory Manager, Buy Sod Inc. bcash@buysod.com • 615-946-1023

Progressive Turf Equipment Inc................................ 9 www.progressiveturfequip.com

Pure Green Sports Turf........................................... 23 www.puregreenllc.com

Regal Chemical Company......................................... 3 www.regalchem.com

Sigma Organics, Inc................................................ 43 www.SigmaTurf.com

Smith Turf & Irrigation.............................................. 7 www.smithturf.com

Sod Solutions............................................ Back Cover www.sodsolutions.com

Sur-Line Turf, Inc..................................................... 35 www.surlineturf.com

The Turf Zone.......................................................... 39 theturfzone.com

The Turfgrass Group............................................... 19 www.theturfgrassgroup.com

Tri-Turf Sod Farms.................................................. 42 www.triturfsod.com

Turf Mountain Sod, Inc............................................. 6 www.turfmountain.com

Winstead Turf................................Inside Front Cover www.winsteadturffarms.com

TTA • TVSTMA • TGCSA

5

FROM THE TTA PR ESIDENT

Doug Ward

The Official Publication of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association, the Tennessee Valley Sports Turf Managers Association and the Tennessee Golf Course Superintendents Association

FORWARD MOMENTUM

R

eflecting on the past two years as President of our Association, I find it difficult to imagine a more unconventional set of circumstances to navigate through leading us back to this year’s TTA conference in Murfreesboro.

Undoubtably, the challenges for everyone’s personal and professional life have been significant, but I for one would like to acknowledge the solid role our advisors, Board of Directors and Executive Director have performed during this time. Without their time and input, our association would not be experiencing the forward momentum we see today.

Equally as important, I must thank our membership for their steadfast support during this time. With your participation in last year’s teleconference and maintaining current membership, our association is positioned strongly as we head into this year’s conference.

With that being said, I hope to see all of you in person at this year’s 56th Annual TTA Conference and Tradeshow. With several interesting additions and modifications to the traditional lineup, we hope to better educate, enlighten and increase social interaction among all attendees.

Finally, as my term as President comes to a close, I would like to express my gratitude to the association for the opportunity to serve in this position. It has truly been a rewarding experience working with all those involved with the TTA and the product it provides to our profession. I must say, it’s been a memorable time that I will always be thankful for.

Again, I appreciate your support and hope to see all of you at the conference on January 10th.

Doug Ward TTA President

Tennessee Turfgrass is the official publication of The Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road Franklin, Tennessee 37069 (615) 928-7001 info@ttaonline.org www.ttaonline.org PUBLISHED BY Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 info@leadingedgecommunications.com EDITOR Dr. James Brosnan TTA OFFICERS President Doug Ward Belle Meade Country Club (615) 292-6752 Vice President Chris Sykes Tellico Village (865) 458-5408 Secretary/Treasurer Ryan Storey Vanderbilt University (615) 343-6694 Past President Jason Pooler Tri-Turf Sod Farms, Inc (731) 642-3092 Executive Director Melissa Martin Tennessee Turfgrass Assn.

(615) 928-7001 TTA 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ryan Blair, CGCS Jason Bradley Bart Cash Ashley Gaskin Cal Hill Jeff Huber Brad Jean Jeff Kuhns Jason Sanderson Mark Stovall John Wagnon Jeff Wyatt TTA ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD

The Tennessee Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Tennessee Turfgrass Magazine, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2021 by the Tennessee Turfgrass Association.

Tennessee Turfgrass is published bi-monthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Tennessee Turfgrass allows reprinting of material. Permission requests should be directed to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Bill Blackburn Dr. Jim Brosnan Joe Hill Dr. Brandon Horvath Lynn Ray Jeff Rumph, CGCS Dr. Tom Samples Dr. John Sorochan Dr. Wes Totten

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FROM THE MAGCSA PRESIDENT

Andrew Foster

ANOTHER

GREAT SEASON The

Memphis Area had another great growing and golf season. Windyke Country Club hosted the Scholarship and Research Tournament which was back to normal with prizes and giveaways. A huge thank you to Bubba Jones for hosting another successful shrimp boil and skeet shoot. As we go into 2022, Jason Bradley will be taking over as president of the MAGCSA. This is the end of my second year as president of the MAGCSA, and it has been a great experience. I owe a huge thank you to Melissa Martin and my board that consists of Jason Bradley, Nick Bisanz, Stephen Cox and Michael Rosemond. It absolutely takes a group effort because we all have full time jobs and a life outside of work. Last but not least, I would like to thank my family.

Not only for helping with the association but also supporting me in the decision of being in the Golf Course Superintendent industry.

We all know the long days and the weekend conflicts that we sometimes run into, and it takes the support of those around you.

As we look to next year it will be interesting to see what it holds.

Will Covid and restrictions be any better, will fertilizer prices go down, will golf courses put a surcharge on rounds to follow suit of every other industry? Hopefully the 2022 golf course industry will stay strong and on the upswing, only time will tell.

Andrew Foster MAGCSA President

FROM THE MTGCSAA PRESIDENT

Justin Browning

LOOKING AHEAD I

hope this finds all of our members healthy and doing very well.

As the holidays begin and 2021 approaches its end, I also hope we can all look back and see a lot of positive things that we were able to do in 2021. Overall, maybe everyone was able to experience something that felt a little more normal than what we had to deal with last year. I am happy with all of our meetings so far this year and I am thankful for all of our hosts. I hope that all Assistants were able to attend the meeting on December 7th at Brentwood Country Club. It is so important for them to be able to network together.

8

It is very exciting that we are able to hold our Tennessee Turfgrass Conference in person this coming January. I personally look forward to seeing everyone, so please get registered. If you see Melissa Martin at any of the upcoming events, please be sure to thank her for all that she does for the TGCSAA. Lastly, I want to wish our entire membership a very happy and safe holiday season.

Justin Browning The Course at Sewanee

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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NEWS FROM UT

UT GRADUATE STUDENTS RECOGNIZED The University of Tennessee turfgrass program not only boasts professors on the cutting edge of research, but also high-achieving graduate students. The ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Annual Meeting was a great venue for two UT students to showcase their work and be recognized for their achievements.

DEVON CARROLL 1ST PLACE

D

evon Carroll, a Turfgrass Weed Science Ph.D. Candidate at UT, received 1st place in the oral competition of the turf pest management category at the Agronomy, Crop, and Soil Science Societies Annual Meeting. This year’s meeting was held in Salt Lake City, Utah. In this competition, students give a 15-minute presentation on research in the turfgrass industry. Devon’s winning talk was titled “Poa annua: An Annual Species?”

“My dissertation research has re-assessed the lifecycle of the species Poa annua, ultimately informing one of the most fundamental aspects of turfgrass science and management: understanding the biology of the plants you manage,” Devon says. “This work concludes that Poa annua is likely a perennial species that is subject to premature senescence in summer from disease, changing the way turfgrass managers must strategize methods for either control or maintenance.”

“It was an honor to be recognized for my presentation of this research to the scientific community and I look forward to sharing my thoughts and findings with turfgrass managers and other industry stakeholders in the future.”

The annual awards are presented for outstanding contributions to crop science through education, national and international service, and research.

Devon is a Ph.D. candidate in Plant, Soil, and Environmental Science concentrated in Turfgrass Weed Science at the University of Tennessee. Her doctoral research aims to understand environmental effects on the lifecycle of the species Poa annua. Additionally, she conducted qualitative research identifying barriers and opportunities for women in the turfgrass industry. Devon has shared the results of her research endeavors in 10 first author peer-reviewed publications, 10 trade journal articles, and numerous invited oral presentations. She also serves the scientific and turfgrass communities in leadership roles including president and founding member of her department’s graduate student association, Science Policy Fellow of the Weed Science Society of America, and secretary of the Southern Weed Science Society Graduate Student Organization. Devon was recognized for these achievements among others with the 2020 ASA-CSSA-SSSA Future Leaders in Science award.

TYLER CARR

10

The

graduate student competition at the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Annual Meeting allows students to share their research to a scientific audience through either a poster or oral presentation. Different disciplines within turfgrass science constitute the different graduate student competitions, including golf course management, pest management, genetics, and general turfgrass science. Tyler’s poster titled “Effect of Planting Date and Phosphorus Rate on ‘Prizm’ Zoysiagrass Establishment from Sprigs” was awarded first place in the golf poster competition.

This award signifies that the turfgrass science program at the University of Tennessee is conducting pertinent research for the golf course industry, which is a testament to the efforts made by all individuals in our program.

Tyler is a Ph.D. student in Turfgrass Science at the University of Tennessee.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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UT Turfgrass Research team welcomes Bill Czekai as the new manager of turfgrass research plots. As a former golf course superintendent and general manager of more than 30 years, Bill brings a wealth of operational and agronomic expertise to this position. Bill is a graduate of the Penn State Turfgrass Program and spent half of his career in Pennsylvania and the other half out west, including a number of years at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Arizona.

Earlier in 2021, Bill and his wife chose the Knoxville area as their new home, and after interviewing with the UT research staff, he knew this position was a great fit. “The research team at UT is really first class,” Bill says. “Being out west, I wasn’t as familiar with this group, but seeing the work Dr. Brosnan, Dr. Horvath, and Dr. Sorochan and the others are doing here, it’s something I’m proud to be part of.”

While the manager of turfgrass research plots position is new, the tasks included are not new to Bill. “My role is to support the researchers. By organizing the facility, including servicing equipment, organizing chemicals, and anticipating daily tasks, I can allow the researchers to focus on what’s important. My main purpose is to take some of those operational duties off their plates.”

Dr. Brosnan says, “Bill’s impact on the program has been immense and he’s only been with us a few months! Under Bill’s leadership, the standard of maintenance for our research plots is higher than it’s been at any point during my career. I’m excited to see where he can take things in 2022 and beyond.”

TTA and UT welcome Bill to the Tennessee Turfgrass community!

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION

11

DON’T MISS

56TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE & TRADESHOW JANUARY 10 – 12, 2022 • EMBASSY SUITES • MURFREESBORO, TN

S

ince 1965, the Tennessee Turfgrass Association has held strong to its core mission: To promote the turfgrass industry through education, scholarship and research. We invite you to join us at this year’s conference and trade show at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro. This year’s conference features an excellent education program and an expanded tradeshow floor, plus our annual awards recognitions with keynote speaker Rodney Smith, Jr! This is a conference you will not want to miss!

RE G I S T R A T I O N Please complete the registration form on page 18 and return it along with a check for all fees payable to The Tennessee Turfgrass Association. Additional copies of the form may be made as needed.

Members are encouraged to email a copy of the registration form to The TTA and then mail the original with a check. Please keep a copy of the completed registration form for your confirmation.

Everyone is encouraged to register early.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE PESTICIDE SESSION JANUARY 12, 2021

8:00 AM – 3:00 PM Embassy Suites 1200 Conference Center Blvd Murfreesboro, TN 37129

You must pre-register for this session.

The last day to register will be on December 10.

FIND REGISTRATION INFORMATION AT

https://ttaonline.org/event-4473296

HOTEL RESERVATIONS The TTA has reserved a block of rooms at The Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro, TN until December 3. After December 3, reservations will be subject to availability and regular rates. The room rate is $164. Please call 615-890-4464 and reference the Tennessee Turfgrass Association room block to get the group rate or use the group code TRF. To book your room online, click here.

Learn all you need for the Category 3 exam required to be a certified applicator in TN. At the end of the session, all individuals have the opportunity to take the exam.

LOCATION

The registration fees for this session are $175. These fees include instruction, materials, lunch and the exam.

The Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro is located at 1200 Conference Center Boulevard, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. From I-24 East or West take exit 76 Medical Center Parkway. Head north on Medical Center Parkway, hotel is located on the right. It is located 29 miles (35 minutes) from the Nashville airport (BNA).

You may reach the hotel by calling 615-890-4464.

REGISTRATION FEES

REGISTRATION Please complete the registration form on page 16 and return it along with a check for all fees payable to The Tennessee Turfgrass Association. You can also pay online. You must pre-register for this session no later than December 10.

PESTICIDE POINTS Applications for pesticide points have been submitted to Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi.

MORE INFORMATION For more information, call The Association office at 615-928-7001, email info@ttaonline.org.

GCSAA CONTINUING EDUCATION This program has been submitted for GCSAA continuing education.

MORE INFORMATION For more information, call The Association office at 615-928-7001, email info@ttaonline.org.

12

Don’t miss your opportunity to exhibit your products and services at the trade show.

Complete the form on page 18 and return to TTA!

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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56TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE & TRADESHOW JANUARY 10 – 12, 2022 • EMBASSY SUITES • MURFREESBORO, TN CONFERENCE SCHEDULE MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2022 TIME

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2022 T IME

8:00 AM

Welcome & Opening Remarks Doug Ward, TTA President

8:15 – 9:00AM

TBD George Toma (via Zoom)

9:00 – 10:00 AM

World Golf Championships Come to TN Nick Bisanz, TPC Southwind

10:00 – 10:15 AM

BREAK

8:00 – 8:45 AM

Golf Turf

State of the Game in the Tri-Star Darren Reese / Chad Anderson

Sports Turf

TBD Nicole Sherry, Baltimore Orioles

It’s Good to Be in the Tennessee Green Industry Dr. Ashley Stokes – Dean, University of Tennessee Extension

10:15 – 11:00 AM

Dr. Hongwei Xin – Dean, University of Tennessee AgResearch

What Goes Into Getting a Field Painted for TV? Bryan Ogle, UT Racetrack?

Dr. Caula Beyl – Dean, Herbert College of Agriculture UTK North: Valhalla Country Club Preparing for the PGA 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

12:00 – 1:30 PM

John Ballard, CGCS Valhalla Country Club

Phil Vineyard Valhalla Country Club

Amanda Potter Valhalla Country Club

Jeremiah Barker Valhalla Country Club

8:45 AM

TTA Awards Luncheon and Annual Business Meeting Back to School: Deep Dives into Turfgrass Science

TBD Tyler Rae, GCA Tyler Rae Design

So You’re Interested in Zoysiagrass Greens 1:30 – 3:15 PM

All You Ever Wanted to Know about GDD

John Sorochan, Ph.D. University of Tennessee

Bill Kreuser, Ph.D. GreenKeeper

Tyler Carr University of Tennessee

9:45 AM

BREAK

3:30 – 5:00 PM

5:15 – 6:00 PM

Poa365: A Deep Dive into Turf’s Most Interesting Weed

New Weapons for Warm Season Diseases

Jim Brosnan, PhD University of Tennessee

Brandon Horvath, PhD University of Tennessee

Devon Carroll University of Tennessee

David McCall, PhD Virginia Tech

TGCSA Annual Meeting

TVSTMA Annual Meeting

Professional Development

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Can You Get Our Attention?

Kraig Kann Kann Advisory Group

Equipment Managers Workshop

Veda Pugh Seasonal Harvesters

Ryan Erickson Brentwood CC

Casey Reynolds, Ph.D. Executive Director, Turfgrass Producers International

Training for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Pesticide Certification Exam

Chris Pinkston Troubador Golf & Field Club Andy Gasparini Belle Meade Country Club Tom Alexander Precision Reels

Sod Production Roundtable

Learn all you need for the Category 3 and Category 7 Exams required to be a certified application in TN Dr. Darrell Hensley University of Tennessee

John Sorochan, Ph.D. University of Tennessee

10:30 – 11:30 AM

Resurrecting The Lido Jimmy Humston The Lido

TBD Nicole Sherry, Baltimore Orioles

Hands-on Workshop What’s in the Bag? A Review of Fertilizers and How to Apply Them Correctly

11:30 AM

LUNCH

Tom Samples, Ph.D. University of Tennessee Brad Jakabowski, Penn State University

12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Lunch and Fun on the Trade Show Floor

6:00 – 9:00 PM

Top Golf Event Transportation Provided

14

Pesticide Certification

Alan Ferguson FIFA via Zoom

TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2022 TIME

Sod Producers

Kyley Dickson, Ph.D. University of Tennessee

David Doguet, Ph.D. Bladerunner Farms 3:15 – 3:30 PM

Preparing for the 2026 World Cup: UT Turfgrass Leading the Way

Work shop

12:30 – 3:00 PM

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

GROWERS OF TURF TYPE TALL FESCUE

EL TORO ZOYSIA

VOLUNTEER ZOYSIA

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IRON CUTTER

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Conference & Tradeshow

52nd Annual

January 10—12, 2022 Embassy Suites Hotel Murfreesboro, TN

CONTACT INFORMATION Company Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Representative to Contact: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address _________________________________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone_______________________________ Email _____________________________________________________________________

Submission of this registration form to the Tennessee Turfgrass Association constitutes your commitment to serve as an exhibitor and your agreement to pay exhibitor fee.

Level of Sponsorship

Badge Name

Diamond Platinum $6000 $3500

Gold $2500

Booth $700

Silver $1500

Bronze Top Golf $1000 $1250

Total

1.

2.

$100

$100

$100

3.

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

4.

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

5.

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

6.

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

7.

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

8.

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

$100

Amount of Sponsorship Total Amount Due FIRST CHOICE

SECOND CHOICE

THIRD CHOICE

Booth Preference Please provide a brief description of the products/services you sell or provide:

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please complete this form and mail with payment to: Tennessee Turfgrass Association 400 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN 37069 | 615-928-7001 | info@ttaonline.org

18

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

31°28’36.5” N x 83°31’33.3” W

Marks the Spot

UGA Tifton, GA

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON

CAL HILL AREA SALES MANAGER FOR WINFIELD UNITED How many years have you been in this position?

into applying. That summer job led to majoring in Turfgrass Management at Mississippi State.

22 years this month. I started in November 1999 with ProSource One covering North Mississippi, West Tennessee and portions of Arkansas selling in the Golf, LCO, Sports Turf markets. ProSource One was partially owned by Land O’Lakes at that time. In 2009 Winfield Solutions (also a Land O’Lakes company) purchased the remaining portion of ProSource One. Today we are Winfield United. It is hard for me to believe it’s been that long. Time really does fly by when you’re having fun.

What path led you to your current position?

How did you decide to pursue a career in turfgrass management?

In 1988 Old Waverly Golf Club was being built in my hometown of West Point, Mississippi. I had a few high school friends that were working there and seemed to really enjoy it. I graduated and needed a summer job before starting college. My good friend and current superintendent at Old Waverly, Brad Suggs, talked me

I spent a couple summers interning for Jim Harris at Chickasaw Country Club in Memphis. Growing bentgrass in the South… I mowed greens in the morning then repaired irrigation leaks and syringed greens the remainder of the day. Basically, working from 6 am to 6 pm all summer. Needless to say, I looked forward to school starting back in the fall. I did manage to eat a lot of good BBQ in Memphis at great places like the Cozy Corner and the Rendezvous.

After graduating in May 1994, I moved to Gulf Shores, Alabama working for Jerry Pate Golf Designs as an assistant in the construction and grow in of Kiva Dunes Golf Club. With building a golf course on straight sand we didn’t have many rain days. We had the course completed by late October however the owner did not want to open until Spring.

C ONTINUED ON PA GE 22

“I feel that the labor shortage is the biggest issue in the turfgrass industry today. To get qualified people on board and working takes so much effort for superintendents and LCOs.”

20

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT I decided then to look for other opportunities and accepted an assistant position at Southern Trace Country Club in Shreveport, Louisiana working for Rick Maier. Back to growing bentgrass in the south. Rick is a very intelligent, laid-back guy. I learned so much working with him as he involved me in all decisions involving the golf course from chemicals, fertilizer, equipment purchases, to managing the crew, budgeting and capital improvements. We had a great team. It was a great experience and I enjoyed working three summers at Southern Trace.

An opportunity to move back closer to home and build another golf course brought me back to Mississippi. I accepted the superintendent position at The Refuge Golf Course in Flowood,

Mississippi. Maxwell Golf Group was managing the construction and grow in of the course with a management contract in place when the course construction was complete. Working with Max Maxwell offered many challenges, but it was another great learning opportunity. The staff at Maxwell Golf Group was small so I was involved with so much of the planning of The Refuge. We had so many rain days I was able to work with Nathan Crace and Max on other projects they were involved in, which offered so many more opportunities from course design, course management and reconstruction projects on courses throughout the South.

C ONTINUED ON PA GE 24

Cal, Kelley and Sara attending Chattanooga Red Wolves Soccer Match

22

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT While growing in The Refuge I really enjoyed visiting with and talking to the sales guys that were calling on me. One of the reps told me about an opportunity in the Memphis area with a new company, ProSource One. I was interested and after a few interviews I was offered a position covering North Mississippi and the Memphis area.

I started in November 1999. I had the keys to a company truck, a territory, and a price list. I didn’t know where to start. One of the first calls I made was to Joe Hill who was the ProSource One rep in East Tennessee. He had been selling for a number of years and was always available to talk and give guidance.

In 2011 my family and I decided to move to Chattanooga. I was traveling to East Tennessee often to run, hike and camp. We loved the area and thought it was a great place to raise our daughter, Sara. The management team at Winfield approved and we relocated

in April 2011. Increasing my territory created a new set of challenges, but the opportunity has been very rewarding.

What is the best part of your job?

Winfield gives me a lot freedom to manage the territory, which is great. I set my schedule and just get it done. I always feel so lucky to have the opportunity to travel around Tennessee and Mississippi visiting with golf course superintendents, lawn care companies, athletic field managers, and municipalities. I’ve met superintendents and talked turf in their office, on the course and even on a trail run around the property. Every day offers something different.

C ONTINUED ON PA GE 26

Cal and Sara fishing in Boynton Beach, Florida

24

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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“My advice is to be patient, learn to listen, and ask a lot of questions. There are so many people in this industry that are willing to share their experiences.”

Cal on Torreys Peak in Colorado

What are some unique challenges of your job?

With a large territory the biggest challenge is just getting around and seeing people. Covid created so many new challenges. 2020 involved a lot of sales calls over the phone, emails and more Zoom meetings than I ever thought possible. Most companies were not allowing reps to travel. This was a challenge as I love to be out seeing customers and have a hard time sitting in an office for long periods. I like to be outdoors and on the go. You have to be able to adapt and make changes.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the turfgrass industry right now?

I feel that the labor shortage is the biggest issue in the turfgrass industry today. To get qualified people on board and working takes so much effort for superintendents and LCOs. It is difficult to compete with the big companies willing to pay $15–20 per hour.

On the chemical side, getting product is getting more and more difficult. There have been times when we had product but did not have the containers. Other times we had product and containers but were waiting on caps for the jugs. Freight issues have slowed the process of getting product to our warehouse as well as getting it to the end users. Everything just seems to take a little longer these days.

Do you have a mentor in the industry?

I don’t have one person that I would call my mentor. I do have several great friends and customers that I have worked with for the last 22 years. That’s what makes this job so much fun. We get to visit often to talk business then catch up on everything else that’s going on in our lives.

Tell us about your family and what do you do in your free time?

My wife and I just celebrated our 16th anniversary. We have one daughter who is a freshman in high school.

I typically spend a lot of time at the soccer field or traveling to soccer tournaments. My daughter plays high school soccer as well as travel soccer for the Chattanooga Red Wolves Academy. In the spring we add lacrosse to the mix. I try very hard not to miss any games. We also try to catch as many professional Chattanooga Red Wolves soccer matches as possible.

I spend a lot of time outdoors while hunting, fishing, trail running, and cycling. I travel out west as often as possible to hike and cycle. Much of that is in Colorado as I love climbing the 14’ers (the peaks above 14,000 feet in elevation). I have climbed 25 of Colorado’s 58 peaks above 14,000 feet.

As a family of three it’s easy to do last minute trips. We travel every opportunity that we can. If there is a Dave Matthews Band show close, there is a good chance you will find us there.

What would your advice be for people entering the turfgrass industry now?

My advice is to be patient, learn to listen, and ask a lot of questions.

There are so many people in this industry that are willing to share their experiences. Everyone has something to teach.

26

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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COVER STORY

USING RESULTS from the NATIONAL TURFGRASS EVALUATION PROGRAM (NTEP)

By Dave Han, Ph.D., Auburn University and Alabama Extension

The

National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) is a fantastic source for information on newly-released and upcoming turfgrass varieties. Since 1983, NTEP has been evaluating turfgrass varieties and making data from those variety trials available for free to the public. A survey of turfgrass managers published in 2019 determined that 87% of the 306 respondents to the survey had heard of the NTEP program. At the same time, over half of the respondents (52%) said they visited the NTEP (www.ntep.org) website to look at trial results either never or less than once per year (Yue et al., 2019).

Could NTEP be used more? I think so. I personally use their data many times per year, but along the way I have developed some tricks and tools to help me get the most out of what sometimes seems to be an overwhelming mountain of numbers. So let’s take a quick tour of NTEP, what it is and how it works, and how to find what you need from their data reports.

HOW NTEP WORKS NTEP is a non-profit cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state universities, and turfgrass industry groups. The variety trials that NTEP sponsors, cover the most commonly-used turfgrasses (both cool season and warm season, see Table 1) in the United States. Trials typically run for five years, and are called by the year they were established. For example, the 2013 National Bermudagrass Test was planted in 2013 and contains data from the 2013–2017 growing seasons. The currently-running bermudagrass trial is the 2019 National Bermudagrass Test, which was established in 2019.

Tests are established at many sites throughout the regions where a particular species will grow. Typically, there are around 10 – 15 sites, though this varies with each test. The sites are usually associated with research universities – for example, at our main research facility in Auburn, Auburn University has the current bermudagrass

28

and zoysiagrass NTEP trials. We also had the just-finished 2016 St. Augustinegrass trail and established a bentgrass trial this fall.

In the past, we have also run NTEP tests at outlying research units, such as a tall fescue trial at the Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center in northeastern Alabama. Occasionally, NTEP will place tests on-site, especially for tests on putting greens. NTEP also ran a perennial ryegrass overseed trial, with locations on golf course fairways. For on-site tests, the golf course maintains the tests day-to-day, and university researchers typically evaluate the tests the same way they do on-campus ones.

TABLE 1. NTEP tests data are available for these species

COOL SEASON

WARM SEASON

Creeping bentgrass (putting greens)

Bermudagrass

Creeping bentgrass (fairways/tees)

Buffalograss

Fineleaf fescues

Zoysiagrass

Kentucky bluegrass

St. Augustinegrass

Perennial ryegrass

Seashore paspalum

Tall fescue

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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COVER STORY Because NTEP places trials in as many places as it can where a species will grow, they are able to collect data from many different environments. This is good, but it can also trip up an end user. For example, the current bermudagrass NTEP has locations including Riverside, CA, Ft. Lauderdale FL, Wichita, KS, and West Lafayette, IN. While it is very helpful for a plant breeder at a university or a seed company to know how their new bermudagrass performs in environments as different as these, if you are a sod farmer, landscaper, sports field manager, or other end user, you probably are interested only in how the grass performs in your own environment. More on this later.

WHAT ARE NTEP RATINGS? Ryegrass fairway overseed NTEP Test Eufaula CC

Auburn University Turf Unit Zoysia NTEP

There is a lot of information available from NTEP tests, but the bread and butter is the visual quality rating. There have been attempts over the years to determine whether equipment such as handheld optical sensors can provide more consistent, better, or faster ratings, but a trained observer still functions as well as equipment and has the advantage of being cheaper and more universally available. Still, the fact that different people evaluate ratings at each site is important to remember when looking at the data.

NTEP publishes guidelines on how to rate their tests on the web (https://ntep.org/pdf/ratings.pdf). Quality ratings are taken on a scale of 1 – 9, where 1 is the poorest possible rating (no turf at all) and 9 the best. A rating of 6 or above indicates acceptable turf quality. This means that a rating of “6” has a different meaning when evaluating a bentgrass putting green versus a tall fescue lawn. Quality ratings take into account the density, texture, color, and effects of pests or environmental stress on the turf. Often these individual factors are broken out and rated separately, too.

FIGURE 1. A sample NTEP summary table. Although the varieties are ranked by their mean (average) quality rating over all of the sites in the test (highlighted in red), it is advisable to begin by looking at ratings from individual sites with environments that most closely match the area where an individual will grow the grass. For example, in this bermudagrass test, data from sites with environments similar to that found in Birmingham, Alabama are highlighted in green.

30

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

Sometimes, a location will focus on a specific factor – for example, locations in arid environments often focus on rating drought or salinity tolerance. Sometimes, a particular site will put extra stress on a test – traffic being the main examples. Only some sites in any given test will do this. Finally, some sites may let disease or insect damage go to a certain point in order to see differences in varieties’ susceptibility – but not let plots die completely. Most sites control diseases and insects to ensure that the trial can run for the full five years.

Many of the varieties in the tests have names already and are commercially available, but some are not. Often, companies and/ or universities will place varieties in the NTEP studies under their own internal code numbers, and the ones that do well will get names and be released in the future. NTEP tests also include standard varieties for comparison. These are well-established, popular varieties such as Tifway bermudagrass or Penn A-1 creeping bentgrass.

HOW DO I USE NTEP RATINGS? Figure 1 shows the final NTEP report for the entire five years of the 2013 bermudagrass test. The first thing I always do when looking at NTEP data is to skip the overall rating mean that NTEP provides in the rightmost column (highlighted in red). Why do this?

That column is the average of ratings for each variety over the entire test. But, the entire test includes sites with radically different environments. Of course, everyone wants a variety that does well in all environments (that’s what the overall average or mean rating will tell you).

I prefer to look at individual sites first and start with ones in environments similar to where I would grow the grass. For example, many readers of Tennessee Turfgrass might be more interested in how a variety performs in Auburn, AL, Griffin, GA and Starkville, MS (highlighted in green) than in Indiana or Missouri. But if I were interested in a grass for the transition zone, then sites like West Lafayette, IN or Columbia, MO would be much more interesting to me.

Sometimes there is a variety that does really well in one part of the country and not another. This may drag down its average rating, but in the environments where it is suited, it could be a real star. You also want to avoid varieties that may do well in most environments (so they have a good overall rating) but might be weak in your particular one.

In recent years, NTEP has sorted out results by region for some tests, publishing separate data table for sites with similar environments. This is great. I hope that it continues with future tests.

The other extremely important thing to know about NTEP data is the LSD value. LSD stands for Least Significant Difference, and it’s a measure of how likely results are to be true differences in variety performance, and not just random chance. Figure 2 shows an example of this from a bermudagrass test. Any difference between two varieties’ ratings that is smaller than the LSD value can’t really be attributed to an actual difference between the varieties. His means that there is usually a group of varieties at the top of the ratings that statistically all performed the same. It’s almost impossible to use NTEP data to find the “ONE TRUE BEST VARIETY!” But what NTEP does very well is give you a list of top-performing varieties you can choose from. It also tells which varieties did not perform as well as others.

Future plans for NTEP are to provide data in graphical form, which should make it easier to read than tables of numbers. Online tables with ratings sortable by location would be on the top of my personal wishlist for new data presentation formats. But still, I think that the NTEP data are underused and many more people can benefit from all of the work that the researchers put into running the tests.

REFERENCES Bell, G. E., Martin, D. L., Koh, K., & Han, H. R. (2009). Comparison of Turfgrass Visual Quality Ratings with Ratings Determined Using a Handheld Optical Sensor, HortTechnology 19: 309-316.

Krans, J.V. and Morris, K. (2007), Determining a Profile of Protocols and Standards used in the Visual Field Assessment of Turfgrasses: A Survey of National Turfgrass Evaluation Program-Sponsored University Scientists. Applied Turfgrass Science, 4: 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1094/ATS-2007-1130-01-TT Morris, K.N. and Shearman, R.C. NTEP Turfgrass Evaluation Guidelines. (Undated) https://ntep.org/pdf/ratings.pdf Yue, C., Wang, J., Watkins, E., Xie, Y., Shekhar, S., Bonos, S. A., Patton, A., Morris, K., & Moncada, K. (2019). User Preferences for Accessing Publically Available Turfgrass Cultivar Performance Data, HortTechnology 29:, 599-610.

FIGURE 2. The LSD value given in the data table (highlighted in red) is critical for separating cultivar ratings. Any difference between ratings that is less than this value is not statistically significant.

In this table, all of the varieties highlighted in yellow cannot be separated because the difference between them is less than the LSD of 0.3.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION

31

FEATURE

LOBO

™

NC STATE TUR FGR AS S R ELEAS ES

ZOYSIAGRASS WARM-SEASON TURFGRASS BREEDER PRESENTS ZOYSIAGRASS WITH NOVEL TRAITS

N

orth Carolina State University’s Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics program, under the direction of Dr. Susana MillaLewis, has released Lobo™ Zoysiagrass (experimental name XZ 14069). Researchers selected Lobo from hundreds of nursery mates for its unusual combination of aggressive establishment and stress tolerance. These traits were later confirmed by six years of multi-location trials under low input conditions.

Lobo Zoysia will be exclusively licensed through Sod Solutions for commercial production and marketing. This release is NC State’s first warm-season turfgrass cultivar from Milla-Lewis’s breeding program that started in 2009.

RAPIDLY EXPANDING ZOYSIAGRASS USE Zoysiagrasses are warm-season, perennial turfgrasses often used in home lawns, commercial landscapes, and golf courses across the southern U.S. They are generally known for their low maintenance requirements but slow establishment. Lobo is unique because it is fast to establish, drought-tolerant, and maintains good color and quality under very low inputs.

“This medium-fine zoysiagrass cultivar is simultaneously well adapted for infrequently managed areas like golf course roughs, roadsides, and airport in-fields but also for higher-end uses like home lawns, commercial landscapes and golf course fairways where aesthetics are equally important as maintenance. It’s truly a unicorn,” said Milla-Lewis.

Turfgrass breeder Susana Milla-Lewis discusses Lobo’s traits at the 2021 NC State Turfgrass Field Day.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCE COAST TO COAST Lobo Zoysia has been a consistent top performer in roadside trials by the NC Department of Transportation and also a National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) specialty trial. These Professional Golf Association (PGA) funded NTEP trials are currently conducted at eight sites from Florida to New Mexico. The trials are highly competitive and include other warm-season grass species like bermudagrass and buffalograss, known for their superior drought tolerance. Lobo repeatedly received top performance marks at these climatically diverse locations.

“Zoysiagrass is frequently grown in the southeastern U.S. but minimally in the West. This line shows the broader possibility of zoysiagrass use, especially in areas with significant drought stress or water restrictions,” Milla-Lewis said.

32

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

The Lobo cultivar was tested with many others in low input conditions on NC roadsides where it exhibited quick establishment.

NC State hosts both warm-season and cool-season NTEP trials at the Lake Wheeler Road Field Lab.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE VALLEY SPORTS TURF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION • TENNESSEE GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION

33

FEATURE RELENTLESS PRAISE Select NC sod producers, Sod Solutions, and the North Carolina Sod Producers Association (NCSPA) helped support the development of Lobo by teaming up to form Turf Research North Carolina (TRNC) in 2016. Growers made financial contributions over a six-year period to fund research and development of Lobo and other materials yet to come out of the program. All NCSPA participating growers contributing to the program will have exclusive access to the grasses when they are released.

Several of these sod growers hosted 200 square feet trial blocks of Lobo with impressive establishment results. One grower noted that stolons had already rooted at five points only three days after planting. “This grass is relentless,” he commented to Milla-Lewis.

Lobo Zoysia production will be certified by NC Crop Improvement to ensure the purity of this genetically unique turfgrass.

Participating sod farms are steadily increasing the production of Lobo and limited amounts of this zoysiagrass will be available for purchase in the summer of 2022.

Lobo impressed both breeders and growers with its ability to quickly produce long runners with minimal inputs.

CULTIVATING EXCELLENCE “Dr. Milla-Lewis is one of the top breeders internationally,” said Tobey Wagner, president of Sod Solutions. “There was no hesitation to help support her program. We think Lobo will be one of the most versatile grasses on the market because of its many improved qualities but also because it will be one of the easiest cultivars out there to maintain with minimal upkeep.”

Milla-Lewis’s turfgrass breeding program focuses on droughttolerant warm-season species and tall fescue. She expects to release a new St. Augustinegrass cultivar in 2022.

“CALS takes great pride in our plant breeding program, which has a rich history of plant improvements that benefit stakeholders around our state, nation and world,” said Steve Lommel, NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Associate Dean of Research. “The release of ‘Lobo’ provides a zoysiagrass cultivar with new and improved traits for home, commercial and recreational applications in a green industry intent on sustainability.”

NEED MORE INNOVATION? Crop and Soil Sciences’ research impacts citizens and students from the mountains to the coast and everywhere turfgrass grows.

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If you are a student interested in turfgrass science, investigate our undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including a deep dive into our turfgrass program. Then join us for a guided email tour of our department and university.

Enhancing NC’s greenspaces through plant breeding is just part of how we are growing the future.

34

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022

A group examines a newly planted sample plot of Lobo Zoysia at NC State’s 2021 Turfgrass Field Day.

Lobo Zoysia (experimental name XZ14069) will be exclusively licensed through Sod Solutions for commercial production and marketing.

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FEATURE

MID SEASON SPORTS FIELD CHECKUP

By Tom Serensits, Manager – Penn State’s Center for Sports Surface Research

FIG. 1. Worn Turf due to Excessive Traffic

FIG. 2. Seeding High School Field

Andy McNitt, Ph.D., Professor of Soil Science / Turfgrass at Penn State University

The

heart of the fall sports season is now upon us.

Although the stresses of summer heat have passed, the rigors of games and practices are not only hard on players and coaches, but the playing field too (Fig. 1).

A few simple tips can help minimize the effects of field wear and tear whether you are managing natural or synthetic turf – or both.

SEED EARLY AND OFTEN The importance of overseeding heavilyused fields and heavily-used areas within a field cannot be emphasized enough.

Seeding is one of the most important in-season maintenance practices on heavily-used fields (Fig. 2).

36

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

FEATURE You should not wait until the turf begins to thin. Seeding highuse areas before significant turf loss creates a “temporary seed bank” in the soil, which is ready to spring into action as the existing turf stand thins.

In almost all cases, perennial ryegrass provides the most in-season seeding success. Compared to other options such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, perennial ryegrass offers several advantages.

First is speed. Perennial ryegrass germinates in five to seven days and grows quickly after germinating. Germination and maturation time for both Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue is much slower.

Plus, perennial ryegrass will establish under slightly cooler temperatures compared to bluegrass or tall fescue.

FIG. 3. Plots at Penn State demonstration Effect of Varying Rates of Early Season Ryegrass Overseeding after equal amounts of simulated traffic applied over a season.

Perennial Ryegrass • Overseed Rate: 5lbs / 1000 ft2

Perennial Ryegrass • Overseed Rate: 15lbs / 1000 ft2

Second, perennial ryegrass is less expensive (even though seed costs are up this year). You often will see blends of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, but for the best bang for your buck, stick with 100% perennial ryegrass. You don’t have time for Kentucky bluegrass to get established and it’s not very traffic tolerant when it’s young and immature. Plus it’s expensive in comparison to ryegrass. Previous research at Penn State shows that ryegrass is more traffic tolerant than tall fescue until both have been established for 14 weeks. That’s three and half months. You don’t have that kind of time, stick with ryegrass.

As for selecting the cultivar of perennial ryegrass to use, visit www.ntep.org and select the latest perennial ryegrass test date. The National Turfgrass Evaluation Program consists of turfgrass cultivar evaluations conducted at universities throughout the United States.

When looking at the perennial ryegrass data for several of the NTEP test sites closest to your location, don’t get hung up selecting the cultivar at the top of the list. Pick the cheapest cultivar in the top two-thirds of the list. Quality is important, but so is quantity, and if you can pick a good cultivar that is inexpensive, you can buy more seed. Also, the textbook suggestion of always mixing a minimum of three cultivars can be ignored in the case of highly trafficked turf.

First, the breeders tell us that there is already significant genetic variation within perennial ryegrass cultivars. Secondly, you are growing this grass almost like an annual. It gets worn out and replaced via additional seeding often. So the mantra is: cheap price for adequate quality and most importantly volume, volume, volume. Shoot for a minimum of 30 lbs per 1000 square feet per year. That seems like a lot, but we believe it should be set as your minimum for highly trafficked locations. Lower trafficked areas likely require much less (Fig 3.).

Timing — Dr. Dave Minner and Dr. Andrew Hoiberg (2013), authored several foundational research publications on this topic.

Their conclusions were that seeding early in the season was more beneficial than seeding later. Upon reflection, this makes sense.

Seed spread in mid-November doesn’t help the surface much during our fall season. Maybe it’s around to help next spring, but it’s not helping your field right now because it’s still in the bag. We’ve discussed this with Minner et al. over some adult beverages on more than one occasion. The one thing their research didn’t account for was divots. If a divot is removed, chances are the seed in that spot is also displaced (Fig. 4.).

FIG. 4. Damage due to divots as opposed to abrasion Perennial Ryegrass • Overseed Rate: 25lbs / 1000 ft2

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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FEATURE

FIG. 5. Insulation Depth Gauge works well to measure infill depth.

FIG. 6. Distributing Small amounts of Infill

We came to a bit of a compromise. Let’s consider the 30 pounds that the researchers found provided the highest return on investment (more seed continued to yield a better surface). The bulk of that seed (20 pounds) should be applied to the typical high wear areas at the beginning of the fall season. In Pennsylvania that would be sometime between the third week in August and Labor Day. Now with the remaining 10 pounds, apply about two pounds per 1000 square feet after each varsity football game. That will allow the JV or JH football team to cleat it in. Again, more seed is better and it’s not too late to seed right now.

Focus on the high wear areas – soccer and lacrosse goal mouths, between the hashes on a football field, etc. Low use areas may not require any seeding so spread your seed where it is needed most.

FERTILIZING For heavily-used fields, a target amount of nitrogen over the course of the growing season is 3–5 pounds per 1000 square feet. Fertilization will help your field grow out of damage and recover along with providing nutrients to newly germinating plants.

The best bang for your buck comes from quick release forms of nitrogen such as urea. There are many fertilizers on the market, but fertilizer research trials continue to show that urea often outperforms other much more expensive formulations.

Its not too late to fertilize now but the window is closing. Fast release formulations are suggested this late in the season with a maximum application rate of one pound nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

FIG. 7. Working Infill into Surface

MOWING Of course with fertilization comes the need to mow. Due to limited resources, one of the most common mistakes that people make is not mowing often enough. During the times that grass is actively growing, mowing once per week simply doesn’t cut it.

In most cases, a high-profile football field should be mowed at least twice per week. Believe it or not, this will help the grass resist damage due to wear. Frequent mowing promotes a healthy, dense playing surface, and it avoids post-mowing clumps from being left behind.

Clumping can be reduced by mowing when the grass is dry.

Mowing when the grass is dry also results in a healthier turf plant that is better able to withstand the wear and tear of football.

FIG. 8. Preparing to Topdress Additional Infill into High School Field

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SYNTHETIC TURF While synthetic turf typically does not wear out in a single season or recover like natural turf, proper management practices are still required to maximize safety and playability.

The infill component of a synthetic turf field helps keep fibers upright, allows for cleat penetration and provides a cushioning effect. Over time, infill levels often drop as small amounts of infill are constantly leaving the field in athletes’ shoes, clothing, equipment bags and from other maintenance activities.

Excessively low infill levels can result in accelerated fiber degradation (from both field use and UV light), fiber layover and increased surface hardness. Routine monitoring of infill levels is an integral part of managing a synthetic turf field. In fact, NFL field managers are required to measure infill depth before every game.

TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

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You can find out the target infill depth range from your turf manufacturer. If the infill level drops below that limit, additional infill should be added.

That means you should have extra infill on site – crumb rubber in most cases.

Infill depth can be measured using devices specifically designed for measuring infill depth or a less expensive fire-proofing depth gauge (Fig. 5).

These can be found from multiple vendors with a simple internet search and typically cost less than $20. Pay particular attention to heavy-use areas such as goal mouths if the field is shared by lacrosse and/or soccer teams.

Infill depth should be measured on a routine (monthly) basis to ensure infill levels have not fallen below your turf manufacturer’s specified infill depth range. Infill depth should be measured across the entire field (at least 20 locations), with the majority of testing taking place at locations of heavy use.

If infill is needed in these or other small areas, a few buckets of crumb rubber likely can do the job. Spread a thin layer of rubber onto the area, brush it into the fibers with a broom and repeat until the infill level is within the acceptable range (Fig. 6 & 7).

For bigger areas, larger pieces of equipment, such as a top- dresser, can be used to spread crumb rubber across the field (Fig. 8). No matter the size of the area, it is important to use the same size and type of rubber originally installed by the turf manufacturer.

Infill depth is highly correlated to surface hardness. In most cases, if infill depth is maintained at the manufacturerspecified depth, surface hardness levels will be within industry standards.

Along with managing infill depth, grooming helps keep turf fibers upright and infill evenly distributed across the field. Grooming refers to both brushing and the loosening of infill granules.

Brushing the field with equipment specifically designed for synthetic turf should be done every three to four weeks during the season. The brush should be set to “tickle” the surface and not so that the entire weight of the unit is on the turf. The brush can be set to a slightly deeper depth when leveling infill on uneven areas (Fig 9).

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FIG. 9. Grooming Synthetic Turf Field

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41

FEATURE Aerating also helps loosen infill.

Grooming units consisting of vertical star-shaped, non-powered “slicers” that roll through the turf and infill should generally be used no more than two or three times per year.

It is important that you check with your field manufacturer for grooming information that is specific to your field.

FIG. 10. Football Field Safety Checklist Available from STMA.org.

Football/Soccer Field Safety and Maintenance Checklist

www.stma.org

Football/Soccer Field Safety and Maintenance Checklist Prior to practice or a game, assess the following field characteristics and make the necessary corrections to the statements marked, ‘No/Needs Attention’ before allowing players on the field. If your field is experiencing major problems, including excessive wear, drainage issues, design flaws, etc., contact the STMA at ph.

800-323-3875, or STMAinfo@STMA.org for a referral to a local STMA chapter volunteer in your area for advice.

Playing Surface – All Types

Playing Surface – Natural Grass

Yes

Yes

No/Needs Attn

o

o

o

o

No/Needs Attn

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Comments

Maintenance equipment, such as rakes, hoes, etc.have been removed from the field.

Litter and unsafe debris have been removed from the field and player/ spectator areas.

Irrigation heads are installed as per manufacturer’s recommendations with no protrusions on the playing surface.

If there is an automatic system, the runtimes for the stations should be scheduled as per game times

The field was constructed according to recommended industry specifications.

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Comments

There is at least 75 percent coverage of turfgrass on the field.

There are no bare spots with a hard soil surface exposed.

Playing Surface – Synthetic Turf

Goals and Goal Post

Yes

No/Needs Attn

Yes

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Comments

There are no worn areas on the synthetic material.

There are no rips or tears on the synthetic material.

o

o

o

o

o

o

Synthetic fibers are standing upright.

o

o

Comments:

There is adequate infill material that is evenly spread.

There are no holes or mounds made by moles, gophers, or other animals.

There are no ruts or trenches caused by equipment use or field wear.

There has been communication between the maintenance staff and coach/ facility user.

No/Needs Attn

o

o

Concrete for goal posts is below the surface.

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Goals are anchored securely.

All bolts, screws, and connections for the goal are intact and securely tightened.

o o

The footwear that is being worn by players is acceptable.

o

o o o

Comments:

(If your field does not have bleachers/facility, skip this section)

Yes

Yes

No/Needs Attn

o

o

If multi-use field, lines are distinguishable between sports.

o

o

o

o

Lines are correctly marked per the appropriate governing body.

o o

Comments:

Field Markings Yes

No/Needs Attn

o

o

o

o

o

o

Comments:

Lines are bright.

There is a minimum of 25 ft. around the field for players to run safely out-of-bounds.

There is a minimum of 50 ft. between fields (if multi-field complex).

All catch basins are adequately covered.

The transition area to the track is easily identifiable and level.

No/Needs Attn

Fences are securely set in the ground.

o

o

o

There are no concrete footings exposed above ground.

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Fence posts are outside of the playing area.

Fencing is securely attached to its posts.

There are no large gaps in the fencing or between the ground and the fence.

Top and bottom tension wires are in place to secure the fence.

The wire ends of the fence are not exposed at the top or corners.

o

There are no damaged areas that protrude, are sharp or loose.

Out-of-Bounds/Transition Areas

Turfgrass is uniform in color, height and density.

There are no weeds with thorns, bristles or burrs.

Yes

There are not sharp edges, protrusions or fractures on the goal.

Bleachers/Facility

(If your field does not have fencing, skip this section)

Goal posts are straight and securely anchored.

Goals posts are adequately padded.

Water is readily available for washing away undesirable fluids.

Soil is well drained with no standing water.

Turfgrass has strong root system, limiting “blow-outs.”

o o

Seams are secure.

The synthetic material is not buckling or bulging.

Football/Soccer Field Safety and Maintenance Checklist Fencing

No/Needs Attn

o o

Comments:

1

2

There are no splinters or worn areas (wooden bleachers).

There are no hazardous protrusions or sharp edges.

The supply and location of waste cans is adequate.

There is appropriate signage notifying players and spectators of rules, appropriate behavior and deficient conditions.

There are public telephones or a staffed office for emergency situations.

Areas under repair are identified and posted appropriately.

(If your field does not have lighting, skip this section)

Yes

No/Needs Attn

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

o

Comments:

Your Resource for Safer Fields • Brought to you by the Sports Turf Managers Association and its charitable Foundation, The SAFE Foundation • ph. 1-800-323-3875 • www.stma.org

Guard rails are securely in place.

The plank or railing end caps are securely in place.

Lighting

Lighting has been installed/inspected by a trained engineer or technician.

All lights are working.

General

The light’s beam adequately and uniformly covers the field.

The lighting foot candles meet industry recommended specifications.

Yes

No/Needs Attn

o

o

Comments:.

Your Resource for Safer Fields • Brought to you by the Sports Turf Managers Association and its charitable Foundation, The SAFE Foundation • ph. 1-800-323-3875 • www.stma.org

Nuts and bolts are tight and in sufficient number.

There is a flag or other signaling system to alert players to leave the field if inclement weather or other danger is imminent.

3

Your Resource for Safer Fields • Brought to you by the Sports Turf Managers Association and its charitable Foundation, The SAFE Foundation • ph. 1-800-323-3875 • www.stma.org

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TENNESSEE TURFGRASS DECEMBER / JANUARY 2022 Email TTA at: info@ttaonline.org

FIELD INSPECTION Routine field inspections are another way to ensure you are providing the safest possible conditions for field users. Documenting field conditions is not only a proactive approach to field safety, it also provides a record should you be asked to provide field information or justification for new equipment, supplies, and additional labor.

A field inspection checklist is a great way to be sure to not overlook any elements of your field inspection. It also provides a record that the field was inspected should an injury occur and the safety of the field be questioned.

You can make your own checklist or use one that has already been created.

The Sports Turf Managers Association has created a thorough field checklist (Fig. 10) that is available on their website – www.stma.org.

For synthetic turf fields, inspections should include items such as infill depth, degree of paint build-up, seam and inlay inspection, fiber condition, and field hardness. Natural turf field inspection items typically include amount of turf cover, amount of weeds present, surface evenness, and field hardness.

Regardless of field type, items such as padding on vertical surfaces close to the field, anchoring of goal posts and goals, and drains should be inspected and conditions documents.

REFERENCE Hoiberg, A. H., and D. D. Minner. 2013 Seedbanking potential of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass in athletic fields. Int. Turfgrass Soc. Res. J. 12:p. 641-648.

THE TURFGRA SS TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE José Javier Vargas Almodóvar Research Associate II Turf & Ornamental Weed Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-7379 jvargas@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org @UTweedwhisperer

Jim Brosnan, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-8603 jbrosnan@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org @ UTturfweeds

Frank Hale, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 fahale@utk.edu ag.tennessee.edu/spp

Tom Samples, Ph.D. Professor, Turfgrass Extension The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-2595 tsamples@utk.edu turf.utk.edu @ tnturfman

John Stier, Ph.D. Associate Dean The University of Tennessee 2621 Morgan Circle 126 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7493 jstier1@utk.edu turf.utk.edu @ Drjohnstier

Greg Breeden Extension Specialist, The University of Tennessee 2431 Center Drive 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7208 gbreeden@utk.edu tnturfgrassweeds.org @gbreeden1

Kyley Dickson, Ph.D. Associate Director, Center for Athletic Field Safety Turfgrass Management & Physiology (865) 974-6730 kdickso1@utk.edu @ DicksonTurf

Brandon Horvath, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 252 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

2431 Joe Johnson Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 974-2975 bhorvath@utk.edu turf.utk.edu @ UTturfpath

John Sorochan, Ph.D. Professor, Turfgrass Science The University of Tennessee 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 363 Ellington Plant Sci. Bldg.

Knoxville, TN 37996-4561 (865) 974-7324 sorochan@utk.edu turf.utk.edu @ sorochan

Alan Windham, Ph.D. Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology The University of Tennessee 5201 Marchant Drive Nashville, TN 37211-5201 (615) 832-6802 https://ag.tennessee.edu/spp/ @ UTPlantDoc

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43