Sea Isle 2000 on desert greens: Mowing height and ... - GCSAA

second-highest in July. Rolling increased ball
roll distance across all mowing heights and
nitrogen fertilizer treatments. Rolling provided
the greatest benefit in May and
October, which are periods of slower growth
for warm-season grass.
A single rolling increased ball roll distance
by 6 inches for turf mowed at 1 ⁄8 inch in May,
June and July, with only a 3- to 4-inch
increase in September and October 2001. It
is argued that golfers cannot notice ball roll
distance increases of less than 10 inches, in
which case, rolling would be insignificant as
a tournament tool. However, some form of
regular rolling may be necessary to obtain and
maintain acceptable ball roll distance values in
seashore paspalum in a desert climate.
Ball roll distance: <strong>2000</strong> and 2001
Mowing height had a greater effect on ball
speed than applied nitrogen fertilizer rates in
both years. The rates of applied nitrogen rates
included in this test had minimal affect on
ball roll distance.
Rolling increased ball roll distance more in
<strong>2000</strong> than in 2001, but summer ball roll distances
were greater overall in 2001. The greatest
ball roll distance — 8 feet, 11.9 inches —
was measured in June 2001. In general, ball
roll distance on turf mowed at 1 ⁄8 inch was 10
to 22 inches greater than on turf mowed at 3 ⁄16
inch. Rolling added anywhere from 4 to 12
BALL ROLL DISTANCE
Ball roll distance
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
THE RESEARCH says . . .
Figure 2. Ball roll distance of <strong>Sea</strong> <strong>Isle</strong> <strong>2000</strong> Paspalum was measured and averaged over two years at three
mowing heights.
RESEARCH
➤ <strong>Sea</strong> <strong>Isle</strong> <strong>2000</strong> tolerated mowing at 1 ⁄8 inch for two years in a desert climate when mowed six
times weekly with a Toro Series 5 Tournament Mower using a grooved front roller.
➤ <strong>Sea</strong> <strong>Isle</strong> <strong>2000</strong> ranged from light to light-medium green in color, depending on mowing height
and fertilization. In general, the inherent color of <strong>Sea</strong> <strong>Isle</strong> <strong>2000</strong> paspalum is lighter than
Tifgreen 328 bermudagrass (long-term observations).
➤ In general, it was possible to maintain turfgrass quality of 6.0 or greater at the following
mowing heights and pounds of applied nitrogen/1,000 square feet: 1 ⁄8 inch and 0.50 pound;
5
⁄32 inch and 0.38 pound; 3 ⁄16 inch and 0.25 pound.
➤ Ball roll distance was affected more by mowing height than by nitrogen fertilization rates.
➤ The differences between treatments for ball roll distances were anywhere from 20-40
inches within a given year.
➤ The greatest ball roll distance was 8 feet, 11.9 inches in July 2001 on turf mowed at
1
⁄8 inch, which would be considered suitable for tournament play.
inches to ball roll distance. In this study, rolling
took place only once a month and only on the
day that ball roll distance was measured.
USGA standards classify a ball roll distance
of 8 feet, 4 inches as medium (just short of fast)
for regular membership play. However, most ball
roll distances in turf mowed at 1 ⁄8 inch averaged
about 7 feet, 3 inches, which would qualify as
medium in regular play. Under the management
conditions of this test (vertical mowing and topdressing
every 14 days), all other ball roll distance
values obtained at mowing heights of 5 ⁄32 and 3 ⁄16
inch would be considered marginal. Within each
mowing height, fertility did not appreciably
affect ball roll distance.
■ 1 ⁄8 inch ■ 5 ⁄32 inch ■ 3 ⁄16 inch
Rolled
Not rolled
Acknowledgments
We thank The Environmental Institute for Golf,
Cactus and Pine GCSA, USGA and The Toro Co. for helping
to fund this research.
References
1. Beard, J.B., S.I. Sifers and M.H. Hall. 1991a. Cutting
height and nitrogen fertility requirements of Adalayd
seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum). Texas
Turfgrass Research PR-4921:107-109.
2. Beard, J.B., S.I. Sifers and W.G. Menn. 1991b.
Cultural strategies for seashore paspalum. Grounds
Maintenance 8:32, 62.
3. Huang, B., R.R. Duncan and R.N. Carrow. 1997a.
Drought resistance mechanisms of seven warmseason
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5. Marcum, K.B., and C.L. Murdoch. 1994. Salinity tolerance
mechanisms of six C4 turfgrasses. Journal of
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119(4):779-784.
6. Sigua, G.C., and W.H. Hudnaill. 1992. Nitrogen and
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southwest Louisiana. Communications in Soil
Science and Plant Analysis 23(3&4):283-299.
7. Trenholm, L.E., R.N. Carrow and R.R. Duncan. 2001.
Wear tolerance, growth, and quality of seashore paspalum
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HortScience 36(4):780-783.
8. USGA. 1996. Stimpmeter instruction booklet. USGA,
Far Hills, N.J. www.usga.org/turf/articles/management/
greens/stimpmeter.html. Verified Sept. 13, 2005.
David M. Kopec is an Extension specialist in turfgrass,
Jeffrey J. Gilbert is a senior research specialist, and
Mohammad Pessarakli is a research faculty member and
lecturer in the plant science department at the University of
Arizona, Tucson. James H. Walworth is an Extension specialist
in soil fertility and Greg M. Sower is a former
research technician in the soil, water and environmental
sciences department at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
November 2005
GCM 87