Top-notch turf is the work of golf course greens keepers
By: Julie Gartland
The player addresses the ball. He alternates from one foot to the other, feeling for the right position as he eyes the ball and the putting hole. The placement of his feet, his posture and how he holds the club are part of the challenge to get the ball into the hole in the ground.
As the golfer prepares his stance, is he thinking about the condition of the turf, the soil composition or the grass root system? Probably not. Is he thinking the fairways are too wet, the rough too high or the greens too fast?
The game of golf holds many challenges for the player, but the condition of the greens should not be one of them. Turf length, density and uniformity are essential to a good playing surface and the speed and holding ability of the grass has everything to do with a good game of golf.
However, most people probably don’t think about what goes into keeping a golf course maintained.
“Greens maintenance is important to me because it helps my game,” says John Beams of Allentown, who has been playing golf for 19 years. “If the greens are inconsistent it affects your play. If the grass is too short, the ball won’t roll smoothly and your accuracy is affected,” he said.
The person responsible for maintaining a combination of aesthetics and functionality at a golf course is the greens keeper, or superintendent. But it’s not just about mowing the grass.
It is a year-round job that requires frequent observations and appropriate preventative measures and treatment methods. The superintendent must not only know proper mowing techniques and the correct mower blade height, but also be able to maintain the machinery.
Continuous attention and evaluation of the grounds is needed to make sure the playing surface is dense, even and spongy. A weed and pest prevention program must be maintained and measures taken to repair any damaged spots.
Gary Cameron, superintendent of Gambler Ridge Golf Club in Cream Ridge, has been with the golf course since it opened in 1984. He is on the greens by 5 a.m., before the golfers get there. He employs a crew of five full-time and two part-time employees.
One of the perks of being a greens keeper is you’re always outdoors.
“The best time of day is the morning, when there’s a little bit of fog and it’s quiet,” said Mr. Cameron. He received his associate’s degree in turf grass management from the University of Massachusetts at Stockbridge in 1982 and is required by the state to receive pesticide certification every five years.
Mr. Cameron knows when and how often to mow the greens to encourage turf density. Less frequent mowing puts too much stress on the grass by removing too much of the leaf tissue at one time, he said. The putting greens are kept at a height of ˆ of an inch and receive top dressing of a fine, sandy soil to keep the greens even. The rough is kept at 2 inches.
Each mower is preset at a specified height, depending on whether it’s for cutting the greens, the collar, the rough or the fairway. The mower blades are sharpened every day and machinery is cleaned after each use.
Not all types of grasses can withstand being cut so short, and it is the superintendent’s job to know the different types of grass species, how the grass adapts to the climate, its temperature tolerance, resistance to drought, wear resistance and its ability to recover quickly from damage.
Many golf courses use bentgrass for putting surfaces. Known for its ability to form a dense mat and its adaptation to humid environments, bentgrass has long narrow leaves that grow profusely by creeping along the ground rather than growing up.
Watering is essential to a vibrant golf course, but if the soil is too wet the grass will compact under traffic and will lose nitrogen and potassium faster, according to Mr. Cameron. Overwatering also will increase the likelihood of pest infestation, fungi, runoff and erosion. Many golf courses use automated irrigation systems, but operating them still requires knowledge of when and how often to water.
Many golf courses sustained damage during last year’s drought when water restrictions were imposed. Mr. Cameron said Gambler Ridge had to stop watering its greens in August. The damaged areas were re-sod with bentgrass that is harvested on the grounds, and then a program of overseeding was implemented to strengthen its growth.
The sand traps, or bunkers, have to have the right texture and consistency of sand to provide a challenge for the players, but not bottleneck the game for other players. If it’s too hard the ball bounces out; if it’s too soft the ball gets buried. The bunkers are maintained and smoothed over daily with motorized power rakes. Hand rakes are left at the traps for golfers who want to smooth out footprints and club tracks left throughout the day.
Although knowledge of agricultural sciences is valuable to a greens keeper when it comes to fertilization methods, types of grasses and irrigation scheduling, it is actually years of experience that teaches one how to work with, or adjust to, Mother Nature.
Richard Potts, superintendent of Miry Run Golf Club in Robbinsville, said the game of golf is about being outside and enjoying the fresh air. He has been a greens keeper at various locations since 1971 and attributes his skill as a greens keeper to years of experience.
“I can tell from the weather conditions when there’s going to be a pest or disease problem,” he said.
Preparation for the busy season begins about two months before the course expects players. Spring is the busiest time, because not only are golfers coming out at the first sign of good weather, but spring growth has to be tended to and any wintertime damage has to be repaired.
According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), there are over 27.8 million golfers and over 16,000 golf courses in the United States. As of Dec. 31, 1999, another 936 courses were under construction. As golf has become more popular and the demand for new golf courses has increased, so too has the demand increased for qualified greens keepers.
There is more to a golf course than the beauty of undulating greens against the backdrop of swaying trees on a clear spring day. And although developing the skills for a well-played golf shot is up to the player, the condition of the greens, maintained by the greens keeper, helps the player deliver his best game.