Golf Turf Management

761 Pages·2018·822.158 MB·English

by  McCarty, Lambert Blanchard

Golf Turf Management
http://taylorandfrancis.com
Golf Turf Management
L.B. (Bert) McCarty
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina
Disclaimer: All mentioned chemicals are for reference only and may not be available for turf use. They may be restricted by some state, province, or federal
agencies; thus, be sure to check the current status of the pesticide being considered for use. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s label as registered under
the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. Mention of a proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the
author or the publisher and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other products that also may be suitable.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data
Names: McCarty, L. B. (Lambert Blanchard), 1958- author.
Title: Golf turf management / author: L.B. McCarty.
Description: Boca Raton : Taylor & Francis, 2018. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017061730| ISBN 9781138476387 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781138584068 (hardback : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Turf management. | Turfgrasses. | Golf courses--Maintenance.
Classification: LCC SB433 .M33 2018 | DDC 635.9/642--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017061730
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To those golf course superintendents who grow and maintain the best playing
conditions in the world and to the students who should relentlessly pursue
knowledge in turf management, personnel skills, and human relationships.
To my parents, family, students, and colleagues, who have provided
vast opportunities for me to learn and work.
http://taylorandfrancis.com
Contents
Preface........................................................................................................................................................................................xxi
Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................................................xxiii
About the Author ......................................................................................................................................................................xxv
Commonly Used Abbreviations ..............................................................................................................................................xxvii
Section i turfgrasses for Golf courses
Chapter 1 Turfgrasses ..............................................................................................................................................................3
The Golf Industry ....................................................................................................................................................3
Golf Course Rating .............................................................................................................................................3
Turfgrass Taxonomy ................................................................................................................................................3
Scientific Names .................................................................................................................................................3
Turf Quality ........................................................................................................................................................5
Adaptation ...............................................................................................................................................................6
Climate ...............................................................................................................................................................6
Climatic Zones ...................................................................................................................................................6
Cultivars and Their Characteristics—Warm-Season Grasses ................................................................................7
Bermudagrass .....................................................................................................................................................7
Zoysiagrass .......................................................................................................................................................12
Bahiagrass ........................................................................................................................................................14
Carpetgrass .......................................................................................................................................................15
Centipedegrass ..................................................................................................................................................15
Kikuyugrass......................................................................................................................................................15
Seashore Paspalum ...........................................................................................................................................16
St. Augustinegrass ............................................................................................................................................17
Cultivars and Their Characteristics—Cool-Season Grasses ................................................................................18
Bentgrasses .......................................................................................................................................................18
Kentucky Bluegrass ..........................................................................................................................................18
Tall Fescue ........................................................................................................................................................20
Perennial Ryegrass ...........................................................................................................................................22
Fine Fescue .......................................................................................................................................................22
Annual Bluegrass .............................................................................................................................................23
Canada Bluegrass .............................................................................................................................................24
Supina Bluegrass ..............................................................................................................................................25
Other Cool-Season Turfgrasses ........................................................................................................................25
Native, Low Maintenance, and Ornamental Grasses ............................................................................................25
Warm-Season Grasses ......................................................................................................................................28
Cool-Season Grasses ........................................................................................................................................33
Ornamental Grasses .........................................................................................................................................35
Chapter 2 Turfgrass Physiology and Environmental Stresses ...............................................................................................37
Plant Characteristics ..............................................................................................................................................37
Seed ..................................................................................................................................................................37
Crowns ..............................................................................................................................................................38
Leaves ...............................................................................................................................................................38
Stems ................................................................................................................................................................41
Roots .................................................................................................................................................................42
Inflorescence .....................................................................................................................................................44
vii
viii Contents
Turfgrass Physiology .............................................................................................................................................45
Photosynthesis ..................................................................................................................................................48
Light Reactions .................................................................................................................................................50
Carbon Reactions .............................................................................................................................................51
C (or Cool-Season) Plants ...............................................................................................................................52
3
C (or Warm-Season) Plants .............................................................................................................................52
4
Kranz Anatomy ................................................................................................................................................52
Photorespiration ................................................................................................................................................53
C Plants Compared to C Plants ......................................................................................................................55
4 3
Respiration ............................................................................................................................................................55
Photosynthesis and Respiration Balance in Plants ...........................................................................................56
Growth Hormones .................................................................................................................................................57
Growth Promoters ............................................................................................................................................57
Growth Inhibitors .............................................................................................................................................58
Biostimulants ....................................................................................................................................................59
Environmental Stresses .........................................................................................................................................59
Light Intensity (or Shade) .................................................................................................................................59
Temperature Stress ...........................................................................................................................................61
Low-Temperature Stress ..............................................................................................................................61
Best Management Practices Minimizing Low-Temperature Stress .................................................................65
Diagnosing Low-Temperature Injury ...............................................................................................................69
Heat Stress on Cool-Season Turfgrasses ..........................................................................................................70
Best Management Practices for Reducing Heat Stress of Cool-Season Turfgrasses .......................................71
Drought Stress ..................................................................................................................................................72
Salinity ..................................................................................................................................................................73
Turfgrass Salt Tolerance ...................................................................................................................................73
Section ii Soil Management Practices
Chapter 3 Soil Chemical Properties .......................................................................................................................................77
Horizons ................................................................................................................................................................77
Cation Exchange ....................................................................................................................................................77
Soil Type ...........................................................................................................................................................79
Increasing Soil CEC .........................................................................................................................................81
Base Saturation of the Cation Exchange Capacity or Percentage Cation Saturation .......................................82
Measuring Soil CEC .........................................................................................................................................83
Anion Exchange Capacity ................................................................................................................................85
Flocculation and Dispersion .............................................................................................................................86
Soil Acidity ............................................................................................................................................................86
Liming Materials ..............................................................................................................................................88
Selecting a Liming Material .............................................................................................................................91
Acidic Irrigation Water .....................................................................................................................................93
Soil Alkalinity .......................................................................................................................................................93
Reducing Soil pH ..............................................................................................................................................93
Soil Oxygen ...........................................................................................................................................................97
Reduced Soil Oxygen Levels ............................................................................................................................98
Soil Temperatures .................................................................................................................................................101
Soil Organisms ....................................................................................................................................................102
Bacteria ...........................................................................................................................................................103
Fungi ...............................................................................................................................................................103
Actinomycetes ................................................................................................................................................103
Algae ...............................................................................................................................................................104
Protozoa ..........................................................................................................................................................104
Other Soil Organisms .....................................................................................................................................105
Abundance of Soil Organisms ........................................................................................................................105
Contents ix
Benefits of Soil Organisms .............................................................................................................................105
Potential Harmful Effects of Certain Soil Organisms ...................................................................................106
Inoculating Soil with Organisms and Other Products ........................................................................................107
Microbial Inoculants ......................................................................................................................................107
Compost Tea ...................................................................................................................................................108
Biostimulants ..................................................................................................................................................108
Chapter 4 Soil Physical and Drainage Properties .................................................................................................................111
Soil Physical Properties ........................................................................................................................................111
Soil Particle Analysis ......................................................................................................................................111
Determining Particle Size ...............................................................................................................................112
Particle Shape and Soil Structure ....................................................................................................................114
Soil Particle and Bulk Density ........................................................................................................................114
Soil Porosity ....................................................................................................................................................115
Soil–Water Relationships .....................................................................................................................................116
Describing Soil Moisture .................................................................................................................................116
Infiltration and Percolation Rates ....................................................................................................................118
Water Movement in Soil .................................................................................................................................120
Capillarity .......................................................................................................................................................121
Water Potential (ψw) .......................................................................................................................................121
Pore Size .........................................................................................................................................................121
Perched Water Table .......................................................................................................................................122
Choosing Sands for Golf Greens ....................................................................................................................123
Drainage ..............................................................................................................................................................123
Drainage Methods ..........................................................................................................................................123
Surface Drainage ............................................................................................................................................123
Subsurface Drainage ......................................................................................................................................124
Lateral Soil Water Movement .........................................................................................................................128
Drain Lines ......................................................................................................................................................131
Multiple Layered Systems ..............................................................................................................................135
Drain Line Types ............................................................................................................................................137
Additional Drainage Considerations ..............................................................................................................139
Fairway Drainage ................................................................................................................................................142
Subsurface Drainage Design ..........................................................................................................................142
Interceptor Drains ............................................................................................................................................143
Springs ............................................................................................................................................................144
Outlets.............................................................................................................................................................144
Sand Capping ..................................................................................................................................................146
Section iii Golf course construction and establishment Practices
Chapter 5 Golf Course Construction and Renovation .........................................................................................................151
Environmental Golf Course Design ....................................................................................................................151
Preplanning—Team Approach .......................................................................................................................151
Property Selection ..........................................................................................................................................151
Wetlands .........................................................................................................................................................153
Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary Program ...............................................................................155
Problem Avoidance .........................................................................................................................................156
Architectural Design ......................................................................................................................................156
Developing the Design ...................................................................................................................................159
Construction .........................................................................................................................................................161
Construction Documents .................................................................................................................................161
Permitting and Engineering ...........................................................................................................................163
Meeting with Local Groups ...........................................................................................................................163