[Dan Herrmann]

I'm sitting here watching the Mets/Pirates game. It's in Pittsburgh (great ball park), but the outfield is cut like a Portland Tralblazers logo on drugs.  It's bad, bad, bad.

(Trailblazers' logo:    )

Got me thinking about what I think is a great throwback trend in golf course maintenance - namely the fact that I see more and more fairways cut without that dreaded crosshatch pattern.  It's simple - just up one side and back on the other.  I see it on TV all the time now, and I love it.

When starting, our new head greenkeeper switched from crosshatch to up/down.  It took about a month to get the old grain out of the bentgrass fairways, but it's now beautiful.  He'll obviously switch sides from time to time so he doesn't burn in the pattern.  But it looks "classic", and the members love it.

Have you seen this trend?  Do you like it?  What other maintenance trends do you like?

[Pat Brockwell]

The origin of the classic up down mowing pattern goes back to the old gang mowers pulled behind a tractor.  Without the ability to lift the cutting units and execute a pivot, you simply mowed up the center and began to circle out, up one side and down the other.  With the advent of hydraulic lifts for cutting units, mowing the fairways like greens became possible.  It is not as efficient (carbon footprint, fuel, time. wear and tear etc.) to crosshatch, but only if your fairways are the same width all the way down.  The modern mower also brought about contoured fairway mowing lines with their lovely curves... Give and take, advantage disadvantage, do the math, and make a choice.

[Troy Alderson]

Dan,

I like the golf course contours to speak for the golf course and not the mowing pattern.  That is why I like the up and back (2 stripe) pattern, it simplifies things.

The best trend in golf course maintenance is going towards less inputs into the maintenance.  Less fertilizer, less water, less pesticides, all to grow the right grasses for the climate.  I see golf course construction getting simpler also to make maintaining the golf course easier and less costly over the long run.  Less hand mowing, trimming, and more productivity with less staffing.  I believe the industry is slowly reverting back to the maintenance programs before color TV, while the quality is still present.  A realization that brown is not necessarily dead and that green is not necessarily good.  I hope to see UK standards present in US golf within my lifetime.

Troy

[Dan Herrmann]

Troy - we're getting there - whether we want to or not. 

[Ben Sims]

I think it's becoming clear that green committees and owner operators are starting to listen to Superintendents more in regards to trees, green speeds and irrigation habits.  You see more courses willing to remove some of the trees, which indefinitely leads to healthier turf.  I think members and golfers alike are becoming more educated about how trees and stimpmeter 12 greens are unhealthy over the long term.  Hopefully the trend continues...

[Kyle Harris]

To extend a bit what Pat said:

If one is to look at he old aerials, they can note that the gang mowers were turned around by circling around behind the green and back down the fairway.

Today's fiveplex fairway units do not have to do this, and to do so would be very inefficient, so the turn must be made in the approach. This concentrates compaction for the most part.

When I cut fairways like this, I typically cut the cleanup or band pass first, and then do a second cleanup one width inside that. Then I cut the center stripe and work my way out. If the hole features a narrowing approach into the green, the second cleanup pass allows me to stagger my turns wider and more down the fairway so I don't have to turn in the same area of the approach. When all is said and done, I throw another pass to really cut in the center line and move on to the next fairway.

The key to making it work is patient operators that make wide, slow turns.

[Cory Brown]

Another issue not talked about much is the use of this mowing pattern on different widths of fairways.  I don't really care for it on narrow fairways, but on wide fairways I think it looks fantastic.  The few times I've seen it at the US Open it seems to make the fairways look even narrower than they are.

[RichMacafee]

I agree with Ben.

I think tree clearing is being seen in a different light by many, including committees, and more people who matter are beginning to understand it's merit for both conditioning and strategy.

[Leo Barber]

Increased width and short grass around the greens surrounds.  Handwatering - love it.  Sulphate of Ammonia, liquid feeding and mixing  your own blends.

[Tom_Doak]

The best mowing patterns in golf are on links courses in the late and early seasons.  They're basically not mowing at all, so there is no mowing pattern.

The all-time best I've seen was at Westward Ho!, where the sheep and cattle were taking the edge off anything done by man.  You really could not pick out where the maintained portion of the golf course started and stopped.  It occurred to me then that's what MacKenzie was speaking of with that cryptic line in his book:

"There is no defined line between the fairways in the great schools of golf like St. Andrews or Hoylake."

[Steve Okula]

What's all this talk about getting back to the old ways? I remember golf course conditions when I was growing up in Connecticut in the 1960's. Compared to today's standards, they sucked.

Greens were abysmally slow, grainy, and inconsistent. Fairways were shaggy, infested with weeds, and commonly burned out to bare ground in the summer for the lack of irrigation.

Why do people always insist on looking at the past with rose colored glasses? People didn't live longer, healthier lives in the past, and golf courses were not better then. They are better now.

And for the record, Jim Arthur never managed a golf course for one single day of his life.

[Mike Jansen]

The golf course I work at does both, on a rotation... the changing of the mowing patterns is better for the quality of turf I presume.  I also prefer the 'up and back, two stripe' way of mowing as well.

Sometimes I wonder if it is done, and if not should be... but have it consistent so that what appears as the "light" side of the fairway is the preferred side to be on, and the "dark" side not as good.  So from the tee, the player has a more accurate target/ idea of how to play the hole.

[Stephen Britton]

Looks like the fairways this week at the Memorial Tournament are mowed from tee to green, so balls on fairways are rolling with the grain and second shots are being hit with the grain.

Kind of opposite to Augusta who sweep mow the fairways from the greens back to the tees with balls on fairways rolling against the grain and second shots being hit against the grain.

The tees are still striped with the walk mowers pointing down the fairway line, Faldo just mentioned he used to pick a mowing line and line his feet up with them.

It does seem this year that more and more courses on tour have gone away from fairway striping.

[Jon Wiggett]

Steve Okula,

I am sorry you were forced to endure such awful conditions in the 60's. Its a wonder you stayed playing the game of golf. I agree with your assesment that not all was so good in the past but not your hint at everything is better today. Here in Europe there nevr used to be problems with deseases running rampant on the greens and fairways as is the case today.

I don't know if Jim Arthur ever managed a golf course but he is regarded by many as one of the best advisors that the game has ever seen. If by your comment you mean he didn't have the authority to comment on greenkeeping matters then I think you are wrong. 

[Pat Brockwell]

Kyle,
The first course I worked on not only pulled the gang around the back of the green, they mowed all the way back, and included the tees with that cut.  Three heights of cut total, three mowers total, putting surface, fairway, rough.  They had two gangs and four jacobsen greens mowers, with transport wheels, no cart with trailer, just start hoofing out to your greens.  One kid did all the bunker raking on each nine, big rake, no cart, no three wheeled sand pro, just tennies and a donut.

[Steve Okula]

Steve Okula,

I am sorry you were forced to endure such awful conditions in the 60's. Its a wonder you stayed playing the game of golf. I agree with your assesment that not all was so good in the past but not your hint at everything is better today. Here in Europe there nevr used to be problems with deseases running rampant on the greens and fairways as is the case today.

I don't know if Jim Arthur ever managed a golf course but he is regarded by many as one of the best advisors that the game has ever seen. If by your comment you mean he didn't have the authority to comment on greenkeeping matters then I think you are wrong. 

Jon,

I've been greenkeeping in Europe since 1991, and  diseases have never run rampant over the courses I've managed. I can't speak to what was happening to other people before that, but by all accounts turf diseases didn't just appear in the past twenty years.

Jim Arthur may be regarded by many as one of the best advisors, but he is regarded by an equal number of people as a quack. Anyone can comment on greenkeeping matters, but that doesn't mean they know anything.

I'll bet you're not really sorry I played on crap greens as a kid.

[Ross Tuddenham]

Tom

There was a course near where I grew up that was covered with sheep and had electric fences around the greens to keep them off.  Good for keeping them of the green bad for teenagers messing around while we tried to jump them.

But I know what you mean about not being able to see where the mown part ends and the sheep eaten bit starts.  I though it produces a good length of grass for the rough but because it was kept by the sheep it had a totally different look and feel.  It lost the usual formula of fairway, semi then full rough.  Just a sort of short bit then what a sheep field would look like, i liked it anyway/

[Mike_Trenham]

How about these less invasive aerfication machines that have the greens back in good condition in days rather than weeks?

[Steve Okula]

How about these less invasive aerfication machines that have the greens back in good condition in days rather than weeks?

With aeration, as with most aspects of life, you get what you pay for. The ideal aeration for turfgrass is hollow tine, where plugs of thatch and soil are physically removed and replaced with a substitute material, normally sand. This method reduces both compaction and the thatch layer, thus facilitating the infiltraion of air, water, fertilizer, and chemicals to the root zone, by creating macro-pore space in the profile.

The "less invasive"  methods you mention, such as solid tining or hydro-jet, are designed to be a supplement to routine hollow tining. They are in no way viable substitutes. Neither hydro nor solid tines lift out any thatch, and their effects on compaction are limited. True, they do open some airways to the root zone, at least temporarily. However, the mechanics of the systems mean that they simply displace the compaction laterally, rather than alleviate it. These less invasive aerations can be useful to improve stressed turf in the short term with minimal disruption of play, but no green would flourish under a steady diet of them.

[Jon Wiggett]

Jon,

I'll bet you're not really sorry I played on crap greens as a kid.

  got me there

Steve,

I find the mind set of if you haven't done it then you can't comment a very narrow and dangerous. Let's face it, how can you vote for president if you haven't been there yourself but I bet you.... nah, whats the point.

The thing with greenkeeping is there are very many different ways to get good results. I have never had to spray for desease or pests. Yet there are many greenkeepers who think that how I do it is crazy even though this year my greens have been great since the start of the season and most others in the area are still not up to par. I don't think that everything that JA preached is correct for everyhere but alot of it does make sense though that is not to say that other opinions are not equally valid.

As you say there are those who think he was a quack as there are those who think I am a quack and I am sure you too have your critics.

JA never did advise in the USA maybe thats why you played on crap greens in the.........

[Troy Alderson]

How about these less invasive aerfication machines that have the greens back in good condition in days rather than weeks?

With aeration, as with most aspects of life, you get what you pay for. The ideal aeration for turfgrass is hollow tine, where plugs of thatch and soil are physically removed and replaced with a substitute material, normally sand. This method reduces both compaction and the thatch layer, thus facilitating the infiltraion of air, water, fertilizer, and chemicals to the root zone, by creating macro-pore space in the profile.

The "less invasive"  methods you mention, such as solid tining or hydro-jet, are designed to be a supplement to routine hollow tining. They are in no way viable substitutes. Neither hydro nor solid tines lift out any thatch, and their effects on compaction are limited. True, they do open some airways to the root zone, at least temporarily. However, the mechanics of the systems mean that they simply displace the compaction laterally, rather than alleviate it. These less invasive aerations can be useful to improve stressed turf in the short term with minimal disruption of play, but no green would flourish under a steady diet of them.

Steve,

I have admired your comments on GCA for many years now, but...

Hollow tining is ONLY good for removing thatch and when the soil profile needs to be changed to a more sand, otherwise it is a waist of time with the new aeration technology out there today.  The goal of aeration is to loosen the soil and provide air space for gas exchange and water infiltration.  Solid tining, slicing, and shatter tine technology all do that and without the mess of hollow tining.  I do think that hollow tining should be done at least once per year, but the Planet-Aire and Aeravator and any other slicing aerator will do the job the rest of the year.

Thatch is a result of watering and fertilizing, the turf growing and dieing and decaying.  Reduce the water and fertilizer, keep the soil profile as dry as possible and the thatch problems will not be as bad.  I do understand that each golf course has it's own micro-climate and demands, and maybe the golf course you are at requires more thatch control.  Technology has taken golf course aeration to new levels of quality and efficiency of maintenance, join the club if you haven't.  How's that for a difference of opinion friend.

God Bless Jim Arthur.

Cheers,

Troy

[Trey Stiles]

Best trend in GCM ?

It's not mowing patterns , or aerification , ect.

Simple : It's the people ... Today's supers approach things from a scientific perspective ... They have the educational background that expands the tools they use.

The old school guys are often wonderful artisans , and there is certainly alot to learn from them , but when you mix the old school art with new school science , you've got a powerhouse.

[Steve Okula]

Hollow tining is ONLY good for removing thatch and when the soil profile needs to be changed to a more sand, otherwise it is a waist of time with the new aeration technology out there today.  The goal of aeration is to loosen the soil and provide air space for gas exchange and water infiltration.  Solid tining, slicing, and shatter tine technology all do that and without the mess of hollow tining.  I do think that hollow tining should be done at least once per year, but the Planet-Aire and Aeravator and any other slicing aerator will do the job the rest of the year.

Thatch is a result of watering and fertilizing, the turf growing and dieing and decaying.  Reduce the water and fertilizer, keep the soil profile as dry as possible and the thatch problems will not be as bad.  I do understand that each golf course has it's own micro-climate and demands, and maybe the golf course you are at requires more thatch control.  Technology has taken golf course aeration to new levels of quality and efficiency of maintenance, join the club if you haven't.  How's that for a difference of opinion friend.

Troy,

In your first paragraph, you seem to contradict yourself. First, you say, "Hollow tining is ONLY good for removing thatch and when the soil profile needs to be changed to a more sand, otherwise it is a waist of time..". Then, you finish the paragraph by recommending "that hollow tining should be done at least once per year".

I fertilize greens with about 2.5 lbs N/M per year. Does that sound like it would cause excessive thatch? Turf does need some nutrition and growth to tolerate normal traffic and wear. My greens do require water to measure up to golfers' expectations. Localized dry spots bring complaints.

I have done direct comparisons with hollow tining and solid tining on sand-based greens, and found the hollow tining to be much more effective. 

[Alan FitzGerald CGCS MG]

i remember a debate at a course a number of years ago about going half and half for a pga event. The tour were not too happy as they felt the players would favor the light side of the fairways to maximize their drives. We ended up mowing them all the one way like angc, which i have to admit looked awesome but would be unpractical to do it on a regular basis.

[Dan Herrmann]

Best trend in GCM ?

It's not mowing patterns , or aerification , ect.

Simple : It's the people ... Today's supers approach things from a scientific perspective ... They have the educational background that expands the tools they use.

The old school guys are often wonderful artisans , and there is certainly alot to learn from them , but when you mix the old school art with new school science , you've got a powerhouse.

Described perfectly.  We have a powerhouse that cuts grass AND understands the science.  He takes tremendous pride in his work, loves his work, and allows the architect's vision to be fully realized.

I don't know a higher compliement I can give him. (if you want to see a video interview of Bruce Cadenelli, check out www.punchbowlgolf.com)

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