Why Do We Topdress Our Greens

The concept of topdressing is common for turfgrass managers and golfers these days. Management trends have changed from applying 60/40 or 80/20 dressing. This is now virtually unheard of and has evolved to pure sands. Creating a smooth the putting surface where you obtain a true roll and greater distance of ball roll is the most commonly known benefit.

By not applying organic matter in the dressing we can dilute the thatch layer above your root zone far quicker. Sand gives us the desired firmer putting surfaces, which in turn allows us to get closer heights of cut due to less thatch and puffiness.

We want to avoid heavy applications of sand early in the season which buries the thatch layer, and allows a new thatch layer to establish between topdressing again in the fall. These practices used to be common and would create a layering effect in the upper most portion of the rootzone. This is not desirable for the plants roots and leads to unhealthy turf and poor drainage.

Grass cultivars are also changing our management strategies of topdressing. The old style of infrequent and heavy applications just isn’t possible with the newer dense bentgrass cultivars with their aggressive growing habits. Light applications of finer sands are now being used with greater effectiveness. The reason for this is the sand has to be worked into the canopy for best results. By diluting the thatch this also helps to protect the plants crown and stand the grass up to obtain tighter cutting heights.

As mentioned, the best results occur when sand is worked into the canopy. Verticutting before an application drastically helps. Dry topdressing is best; either a broom or drag mat can work in a light application of around 1/16 inch quickly. Play can follow immediately after which wouldn’t be possible with a heavy application. These light dressings can be applied throughout the growing season as often as required to dilute present thatch or to help improve surface drainage (thatch can act as a barrier to water, slowing infiltration rates, by diluting it, this gives us our improved surface drainage) and when conditions allow.

Research at The Pennsylvania State University found that after applying both heavy and light topdressings, pace of the greens did reduce until the sand was incorporated into the canopy; after which the pace increased. Around 10 days has to be given to obtain the best results for speed increase. Therefore topdressing should not be done too close to a competition.


The topdressing you use has to be compatibility with your rootzone so as you don’t create further problems. It can be an expensive undertaking for a golf course to topdress frequently and lightly. Golfers gain the benefits with more consistent and better conditions through the season with this adapted management practice.

How ImportantAre Communication Skills?

How Important Are Communication Skills?

Communication skills are becoming the single most valuable way to expedite your rise to success. Do you even think of a superintendent as a major communicator in a golf club? Would your first impression be:

• Not really you only have to grow grass
• Fairly important due to having a large number of staff to organize
• Very important due to the level of financial investment you are looking after

I am finding quickly that when you have a goal in mind you need, as many influential friends and contacts in the industry. It’s easier to reach your goals and make them a reality with the proper connections.

To make these contacts in the first place it helps to obtain good ‘communication’ skills from experience, working in the industry and socializing/networking. By making yourself approachable and professional in appearance, you will gain respect from the people you wish to learn from.

Confidence in asking simple questions to promote more in-depth discussion is important and can lead to new topics you had not first considered, helping make you think as a leader and see through the eyes of others. There is something to be learned from everyone; even those of less seniority could have a different view and valuable local knowledge. Investing time and energy is the quickest way to utilize a co-workers experience. One thing you will find is no matter how long you’re in the industry for you will always be learning something new.

Resolving problems requires exemplary communication skills to obtain fast, effective results. Timing and a diplomatic touch also go hand-in-hand. In a large proportion of cases the members are your direct bosses, thus they have to be treated with the respect they deserve on a daily basis around the golf course.

My communication skills were valuable when I dealt with a member of staff. Other co-workers respected his words and deeds. I could see good leadership potential in this young man but wanted to point out to him that he needed to first believe in himself and realize his own position in the social group in which he works. I wanted to lead him in the direction that would benefit all parties including the golf course and the individual. Gaining responsibility, possible promotion, and future pay raises was a good incentive to catch his attention. Leaders are always needed in life for others can follow. Not every one wants to be a leader. Even though this individual was still young and impressionable, he had a good work ethic. Using communication skills to raise employees to the next level is both very satisfying and good for business.

Personally I hope to find more challenges like this as I progress through my chosen career as feeling you are doing well for your staff is an added bonus to looking after a golf course and trying to please your membership. Because of this, I realize that being a good communicator is the way to obtain your goals and become a valuable resource. Skills like these are most valuable, hard to teach in a classroom and well worth nurturing.

Where can a degree from The Penslyvania State University get you?

I interviewed a Penn State Alumnus to see how he is doing 4 1/2 years after graduating.

Matt Dachowski (First Assistant at The Los Angeles Country Club, CA) got started in the golf course maintenance industry from a passion of the game at a young age. As a college freshman, Matt made the career choice of turfgrass management. Advice from Matt includes to be patient, try and look at the big picture, and keep a goal in mind. Try to make well thought through decisions. Don’t try to fast track your way to a Superintendent position until you are truly ready. Staying positive and motivated will lead to good things.

Matt’s favorite class at Penn State was turfgrass nutrition. This has helped him in the managing of Poa annua greens at several golf courses. Matt believes:

I have an affinity for Poa annua greens. It is most likely due to the fact that every course I've worked at has Poa annua greens with the exception of 2 of them (golf courses). It provides a challenge that no other grass can provide.

The importance of a diverse knowledge of a turfgrass management is so important, but you don’t need to necessarily travel to gain such knowledge. Matt believes other superintendents and assistants are only a phone call away and more often than not willing to offer an opinion or just be happy to bounce ideas around. It’s important to be a rounded turfgrass manager and have the ability to adapt to many circumstances.

Matt's intern experience came from two years at Quaker Ridge:

I learned that it is all about building trust with your boss. If you consistently perform and are self motivated things will go smoothly. Internships are learning experiences and interns should take on any and all responsibilities that the superintendent is willing to give them and take pride in them no matter how little or big they are.

Now working in California, Matt is vigilant on the conservation of water. With restrictions becoming more common and water being such a valuable resource, we must learn to eliminate its use in certain areas at certain times of the year. With golfer expectations being so high the turfgrass manager of the future will be challenged with adapting to new management programs.

Matt currently works at a golf course with a fine tennis facility but can see the benefits of certain clubs where their sole business is golf. There the superintendent only has to concentrate on agronomics relating issues. After working in the industry for several year and having a four year turfgrass degree Matt now felts ready to hold the position of superintendent. However, Matt feels there is something new to learn ever day and as an assistant there is less pressure to know everything.

Matt is of the opinion that staff in a uniform look professional and if a club is fortunate enough to be able to afford it, highly recommends crews to wear one at all times.

Graduating from Penn State, Matt became even more of a die-hard football fan attending as many games as possible. While at Penn State he never missed a home game and even traveled as far as Miami and Nebraska. Matt feels strongly in wanting to aid other graduate, and will offer his advice when asked. Having a good mentor is a great thing and when he happens to be your brother (also a Penn State graduate), you feel even more passionate with what you do.

Electronic GCM magazine, from GCSAA

It should be of no surprise to the superintendents of the future that as time goes by, the level of technology open to us is expanding rapidly. The World Wide Web is making sure we have access to information at lightning speeds now. Anything is just a click away.

Blogging is also becoming more and more popular. It's a way to stay up on current affairs in a relatively small community (the greenkeeping one). Although the level of professionalism is getting higher and the demands are shooting upwards. To stay up to speed with current changes I feel we need to keep our finger on the pulse and try our hardest not to miss a beat. Even when we are on the go, traveling, or even sitting at lunch. The ability to check on our colleagues opinions and blogs is at hand.

The GCSAA has added to the equation. In July 2009 they launched the full version of the magazine on line, and now making the GCM magazine available from you iPhone is the next step. To help the GCSAA learn if this online communication tool is going to be a popular one why not visit the official blog spot of GCSAA's Golf Course Management magazine. And help take our industry to the highest accolades. By supporting our industry, expanding your own knowledge and helping to teach others what we know. Brings awareness to our industries continual growing trends.

Thanks to Scott Hollister, of GCSAA for the latest news on the official blog spot.

Summer 2010, takes me to a golf course with some great history. Over 100 years of golfing memories, Aronimink Golf Club is the place of these memories. To mention just a few, PGA Championship 1962 won by Gary Player, Senior PGA Championship 2003 won by John Jacobs and the AT&T National is to held at Aronimink both in 2010 and 2011.
Located in Newtown Square Pennsylvania, this isn't the original site. Moving many times before settling at it current location. Founded back in 1896, Aronimink was moved to Newtown Square in 1926. Scottish Golf Pro Donald Ross (born 23 November 1872, died 26 April 48 aged 75) was one of the most significant golf course designer in the history of the sport. Here creating the 7,152 yard, Par 70, 18 holes and was known for saying

"I intended to make this my masterpiece, but not until today did I realize that I built better than I knew"

The course layout has remained for the most part as Mr. Ross had designed it, with small changes to bunkers (totaling 101) and changes to a few tees. Some of the tee modifications are being put in place for the up coming AT&T National tournament. The name Aronimink originates from an Indian chief who once lived in the small framed farm house that became the clubhouse. His name was spelled slightly differently, Arronomink. He was from the Lenape tribe. The name in Indian means 'by the beaver dam'. More history of Aronimink can be found here.

I am looking forward to becoming part of the history of Aronimink Golf Club and gaining tournament experience. One of my main goals for my internship is to get first hand experience in the preparation of such a competition as the AT&T National. More specifically I am looking forward to:

• Working with a huge work force, who have one common goal
• Tapping in to the knowledge of some highly qualified superintendents
• Learning new method, that can only be obtained with such a large crew
• Networking, broadening my horizons and making great contacts
  
• With any luck gaining the trust of the superintendent, to have serious responsibility

One of the most noticeable benefits to my internship is to be it's start date. Starting in early March, as the spring is just starting and the work load for the summer is in it's planing phase. With the AT&T tournament starting June 28, I will already have had over three full months to get used to the course, it's layout and specific needs of individual holes and greens. I hope to offer the superintendent, Mr. John Gosselin my full professionalism which I feel he can utilize with myself already being on site for so long.

After my interview and visit to Aronimink I have great confidence in this being a wonderful experience. A club with a friendly membership and supportive management. This is to be the first large tournament I have worked at and with any luck I will also get to know some of the players. A truly great, all round experience.

With new/ traditional bunker designs. Do you think, Extra work...?

When do you consider renovating your bunkers? Answer, normally when your membership would like a change. Quite often on an old course the end goal may be to re-create the original design form as log ago as 100 years. When cultural practices were very different to how they are these days.

By recreating original designs, does an architect think of the ramifications to the labor intensity the new design will have upon an already busy work force?

By creating such designs, certain commonly used machinery is now no longer an option for maintenance, such as a flymo. The hours of labor can be multiplied by as much as 4-5 times. At great added cost, the need of plant growth regulators (PGR's) may be useful so you are able to maintain the desired look for longer. A better trained crew is then needed for the new techniques required. All of which take time to establish, and sometimes goes without thought of how you are to get there. The finished article can be dramatic and add some real charm, creating in the true name, a HAZARD.

UGMO Sensors

For those of you who have had dealings with under ground sensors, you may agree they can be a good tool to utilize.... but when it comes to aerification, you have to know where they are, before you break them or rip them out of the ground.
So how do you relocate them quickly and easily? One method I adopted at The Los Angeles Country Club, was to find two fixed points (maybe not a tree as they can be removed, or fall over) that are in line with your sensor(s), line them up with a tape measure and make a note of the distance to one of those points from the known location of the underground sensor, say an irrigation head or quick coupler around the green. Making good notes or taking photos is the best way for someone new, to be able to find them in a timely manner.