Turf Talk
By Chris Hartwiger and Patrick O’Brien, USGA Green Section
last year has brought unprecedented challenges to the golfcourse-maintenance industry. Numerous golf courses that we work with have been in full crisis mode, and every expense and task have been scrutinized. Despite the frustrations in dealing with decreasing budgets and shrinking course revenue, however, positive changes have resulted. A shift has been made from look-
The
ing for ways to “raise the bar” to an attitude of determining what is the least amount of resources necessary to meet expected conditions. We hope that, long term, this will keep golf affordable and refocus people’s attention on playing the game. Superintendents who have endured this period ultimately will be more effective turfgrass managers, long term. While much more can and should be said about this shift, in this article, we will fast forward to answering the question, “What’s next?”
Maintained bermudagrass in remote areas, such as along the sides of tees complexes, is being phased out in favor of turf systems requiring fewer inputs.
Too much, too little or just the right amount of sand? This is one of the questions many course managers are asking in the face of difficult economic times.
22| VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL November/December 2009 www.thevtc.org