Horticulture Principles and Practices

18.7.4 PUTTING GREENS
Unlike football and soccer fields in which the entire field is uniformly structured and
planted to the same cultivar of turfgrass, golf courses have two distinct parts—fairways
and putting greens. Fairways are the long stretches of turf between the tee (starting point)
and the end region. The end region, the putting green, consists of a specially designed
area around a pin or hole. Putting greens are designed to resist compaction, drain well,
and provide a smooth surface for unobstructed roll of the golf ball. To attain this condition,
the U.S. Golf Association recommends that putting greens be underlain by a
12-inch root zone mixture of sand and organic matter placed over a gravel layer for good
drainage. This layer should be as uniform as possible to avoid any perched water table
from forming. Poor drainage will also cause anaerobic conditions to develop. Anaerobic
conditions may lead to problems such as shallow rooting of the turfgrass, black layer,
and various diseases.
As the turfgrass grows, the nature of the top layer is modified by the presence of
a network of roots. Further, if the mower does not bag the clippings properly, clippings
may drop on the green, contributing to thatch buildup. Thatch buildup may be
prevented by promoting rapid degradation of clippings and other organic matter
through the practice of topdressing with sand. Periodic light sprinkling of the green
with sand of texture that is similar to that of the top layer promotes aeration and water
movement for good growth of microorganisms. With time, topdressing may lead to an
accumulation of several inches of topdressing sand. Further, if a finer-textured soil is
used for topdressing, this may lead to the development of layered greens. This layering
is caused by the lack of mixing of the topdressing soil with the existing soil in the
root zone. Flooding of the golf course may also lead to layering of the field. When
layering occurs, core aerification and sand topdressing may be used to correct the condition.
As a last resort, the turf should be removed and the root zone rototilled before
replanting.
SUMMARY
A lawn, basic to most landscape designs, is established by using turfgrasses (grasses
grown to be mowed and maintained). Certain turfgrass species, such as bluegrass and
ryegrass, are adapted to cool climates. Other grasses (e.g., Bermuda grass and buffalo
grass) prefer warm climates. Between these two climatic zones is a transitional one in
which either class of grass grows well. A new lawn may be established by seed, sod, or
sprigs. The selection of species should take into account the use for which the lawn is
intended and the maintenance level the homeowner is willing to provide. Seeds are less
expensive and less bulky than sod.
Once established, a lawn needs regular maintenance to keep it healthy and attractive.
The three primary elements of turf management are mowing, watering, and fertilizing.
Lawn mowers vary in design and efficiency. Mowing should be done in a timely
fashion, under the proper conditions, to the correct height, and at the right frequency.
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READING
Beard J. B. 1973. Turfgrass science and culture. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Carpenter, P. L., and T. D. Walker. 1990. Plants in the landscape. New York: W. H.
Freeman.
Crockert, J. V. 1971. Landscaping and ground covers. New York: Time-Life.
Hartmann, H. T., A. M. Kofranek, V. E. Rubatzky, and W. J. Flocker. 1988.
Plantscience: Growth, development, and utilization of cultivated plants, 2d ed.
Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
564 Chapter 18 Turf Production and Use