News:

Welcome to the Golf Club Atlas Discussion Group!

Each user is approved by the Golf Club Atlas editorial staff. For any new inquiries, please contact us.


TEPaul

Worms?
« on: June 23, 2007, 07:01:47 AM »
Who's had experience remediating worms on golf courses? What can you use today?

paul cowley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2007, 07:04:06 AM »
....how do you remediate a worm?
With great skill and patience...... ;)
paul cowley...golf course architect/asgca

Brent Hutto

Re:Worms?
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2007, 07:10:27 AM »
The hell with remidiation. I say lock 'em up and throw away the key. At least that'll keep them off the street.

Joe Hancock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2007, 07:16:00 AM »
Tom,

I leave the worms. It can be a mess, especially on courses that mow fairways daily and at low mowing heights. The mowing height issue is what really brought worm castings to the attention of the golfers.

I think the amount of soil they bring up is reduced under low irrigation regimes, but the worms are still there. They are very beneficial to the soil, so I try not to harm them.

However if need be, then sand topdressing does discourage the worms. There are fungicides that are tough on the worms too, but remember that if you are killing worms, you are likely killing many other organisms in the soil that are just as beneficial as worms. Soil doesn't function very well as a food source for turf without all those little unseen critters munching and pooping in the dirt.

Joe
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Dan Herrmann

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2007, 08:51:53 AM »
I wonder if golf in the Americas would have been feasible without any worms at all.  From what I know, they were brought to the New World by mistake.  They're all non-native.

Sean_Tully

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2007, 09:01:33 AM »
fowler wrote an article about worms on golf courses that might prove to be an intereting read. Besides the historical tidbits, I agree with Joe on this one.

Tully

Mark Bourgeois

Re:Worms?
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2007, 09:07:08 AM »
Have you tried the Diet of Worms? You have to follow it religiously for it to work.

Joe Hancock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2007, 10:11:19 AM »
Have you tried the Diet of Worms? You have to follow it religiously for it to work.

My turf follows this diet strictly..... :)

Joe
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Jon Wiggett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2007, 10:11:52 AM »
A Super I know used claim that walking the course with his mother in law once a year was enough to frighten them off ;)

John Keenan

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2007, 12:09:54 PM »
After a sever night rain in the Phoenix area I chipped up on the green to find it covered in worms that had climbed (?) to the surface to avoid drowning. I must it admit it is an odd thing to behold but was told by the pro shop not that unusual

Overall I see worms as a good addition to any garden or growing area.
The things a man has heard and seen are threads of life, and if he pulls them carefully from the confused distaff of memory, any who will can weave them into whatever garments of belief please them best.

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2007, 12:17:36 PM »
I'm out of town and away from my library, but I think Dr. MacKenzie discusses worms in "Golf Architecture."  Damned if I can remember what he says.

Or was it rabbits?  ???  ;D

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2007, 04:58:51 PM »
I'm out of town and away from my library, but I think Dr. MacKenzie discusses worms in "Golf Architecture."  Damned if I can remember what he says.

Or was it rabbits?  ???  ;D

He did talk about rabbits...said they are good for the course and keeps the grassed nicely mowed/trimmed.

Craig Sweet

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2007, 07:20:28 PM »
Most people assume worms come out when it rains to prevent drowning...however, they come out because it is wet....they are social critters by nature, and of course they do require the occasional nooky, and to come out of the ground onto a dry surface, in a hot sun, well, that just would be very good for the worm...

A one wormologist puts it:

"Richard Wahl of Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. He writes: "Worms do not drown when it rains. . . . Worms of all kinds are highly susceptible to dessication [drying out]. They breed when it rains. They come out of the ground to find each other and to lie side by side in a mating posture, a difficult thing to do in the confines of their burrows. [And we complain about the back of a Ford!] The only time earthworms can safely come to the surface to breed is when the ground is thoroughly soaked. . . . "
No one is above the law. LOCK HIM UP!!!

David Sneddon

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2007, 07:34:32 PM »
Most people assume worms come out when it rains to prevent drowning...however, they come out because it is wet....they are social critters by nature, and of course they do require the occasional nooky, and to come out of the ground onto a dry surface, in a hot sun, well, that just would be very good for the worm...
A one wormologist puts it:
"Richard Wahl of Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. He writes: "Worms do not drown when it rains. . . . Worms of all kinds are highly susceptible to dessication [drying out]. They breed when it rains. They come out of the ground to find each other and to lie side by side in a mating posture, a difficult thing to do in the confines of their burrows. [And we complain about the back of a Ford!] The only time earthworms can safely come to the surface to breed is when the ground is thoroughly soaked. . . . "

Hope they don't light up a cigarette while enjoying their moment of post-coital bliss.
 :o  :o
Give my love to Mary and bury me in Dornoch

Tom Zeni

Re:Worms?
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2007, 07:54:53 PM »
Some random thoughts....

* After a heavy rain, as kids we used mustard water and an iodine dropper. Where we saw holes with bubbles, we filled them with the substance. When the worms came to the surface, we placed our thumbs on them, and pulled them out of the gound and used them to fish with. That's probably too tedious for what you're thinking.

* As suggested by another post, if they're not native, just tell them to show you their green card or have them deported. Hmmm, do you think they have a greens card? Darn, that could be in the courts for years.

* And a side note about rabbits. They are good for the course, and the Hawks that took to nesting in a giant pine tree on our 6th hole, really enjoyed them - right down to the very last one.  No word if they like worms anywhere near as well.

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2007, 09:10:23 PM »
Some random thoughts....

* After a heavy rain, as kids we used mustard water and an iodine dropper. Where we saw holes with bubbles, we filled them with the substance. When the worms came to the surface, we placed our thumbs on them, and pulled them out of the gound and used them to fish with. That's probably too tedious for what you're thinking.

* As suggested by another post, if they're not native, just tell them to show you their green card or have them deported. Hmmm, do you think they have a greens card? Darn, that could be in the courts for years.

* And a side note about rabbits. They are good for the course, and the Hawks that took to nesting in a giant pine tree on our 6th hole, really enjoyed them - right down to the very last one.  No word if they like worms anywhere near as well.


lmfao........

Tom Zeni

Re:Worms?
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2007, 09:44:41 PM »
Thanks,

I'll be here all week. Two shows daily.  ;)

Sean_Tully

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2007, 10:56:20 PM »
Tom

One day we had a Redtail hawk walking around on one of greens. It seemed pretty strange. Upon closer inspection, he was eating the worms that had come to the surface. Pretty cool.

Tully

Steve Okula

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #18 on: June 24, 2007, 07:06:34 AM »
Who's had experience remediating worms on golf courses? What can you use today?

You could try carbaryl, commonly sold under the trade name Sevin.
The small wheel turns by the fire and rod,
the big wheel turns by the grace of God.

Kyle Harris

Re:Worms?
« Reply #19 on: June 24, 2007, 07:53:29 AM »
Who's had experience remediating worms on golf courses? What can you use today?

You could try carbaryl, commonly sold under the trade name Sevin.

I'll second the effectiveness of Sevin SL. The castings can be a nuisance, especially on wet mornings if the greens aren't whipped.

Localized areas can simply be soaped up (any sort of citrus based soap like Lemon Dish Detergent - the citric acid closes the breathing pores of the insect and forces it to the surface).

Tiger Bernhardt saw me do this with Mole Crickets this past winter.

"Old Henry went past the pet shop which was never open, into the park which was never closed, and the park was full of a very smooth, clean, green grass. So Henry took off all his clothes and began rubbing his flesh into the wet, clean, green grass. He accompanied himself with a little tune - it went like this....

"Beneath the ground the dirty brown writhing things called worms interpreted the pitter patter from above as rainfall. Rainfall in worm world means two things, mating and bath time. Both of these experiences were thouroughly enjoyable to the worm colony. Within seconds the entire surface of the park was a mass of dirty, brown, soggy, writhing forms. He was still pleased, old Henry and he began whistling a tune this time to accompany himself......

"Jerusalem Boogie to us perhaps, but to the birds it meant that supper was ready...."

"Walking across the sitting room...."

 ;D
« Last Edit: June 24, 2007, 07:55:46 AM by Kyle Warren Harris »

Tom Zeni

Re:Worms?
« Reply #20 on: June 24, 2007, 09:01:59 PM »
Tully,

I must say, this is one of the more enlightening threads I've read in quite a while. Beats the snot out of four pages of  Cabrera smoking!

I mean, who's posting that stuff? Whomever, they have more time on their hands than the manager of the Orioles !

Robert Mercer Deruntz

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #21 on: June 24, 2007, 11:08:47 PM »
I thought this was a thread about membership issues.  Worms used to be an expression for Wives of Regular Members.  This was usually used in a negative context to describe an overbearing wife who thought she was the member.

Craig Sweet

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #22 on: June 24, 2007, 11:59:15 PM »
Earth worms move a lot of soil...that can't be all bad.
No one is above the law. LOCK HIM UP!!!

TEPaul

Re:Worms?
« Reply #23 on: June 25, 2007, 09:15:51 AM »
Well, thanks guys---now I know a lot about the libidos and mating habits of worms I never knew before. You know, I wasn't all that interested in their sex lives on golf courses just how to kill them.

Now I don't know what to think or feel. I'm torn. It's sort of like I'm Tony Soprano who would by tradition rather not wack wives and mistresses when he puts a hit out on some mafiosi and wacks them. But if the only time one can find them on the surface is during mating, what-ah-ya-gonna-do but fugetaboutit and wack 'em all?
« Last Edit: June 25, 2007, 09:17:20 AM by TEPaul »

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Worms?
« Reply #24 on: June 25, 2007, 01:15:55 PM »
Since the worms are hermaphrodites, I guess Tony would tell em all to go (f*&#) themselves...)
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.