Bermuda vs bent in the South and Sub Air

[Don_Mahaffey]

Chris,
As for Champion vs. the others....if I am not mistaken..I think Champion was "found" where the others were created by universities...Champion was a mutation if not mistaken....so it could have a few more issues...not sure...

Mike,
That's interesting logic. Are you saying grasses developed by breeders, like penncross bent for example, don't mutate?
Ever seen tif dwarf mutate?

[Don_Mahaffey]

Don,

Can you recollect how many hours of sunligh are necessary for bermuda?  Also, I just was speaking with my asst. super who, despite being one of those Penn State kids, is pretty sharp!  He was saying that the latest "rumor" was that Champion Bermuda was showing some resistance to plant growth regulators that could effect turf density/firmness and ultimately playability at a "high level".  Have you heard that?  It seems as if mini verde is making a strong run at Champion and even Tiff Eagle is gaining some market share as its protocols are being better understood.  Just curious if you have heard the same thing and your thoughts
re: sunligh.

Also, for everyone, I think it is important to emphasize that there is no single factor that makes or breaks grasses.  Heat alone is not the issue for choosing between bent and bermuda.  Professional turf guys are evauluating dozens of different factors unique to each and every golf course and because of this, there are always trade offs.  I would hate for some to think their super is "wrong" based soley on geography or temperatures (especially over the last couple of summers).

Lastly, I think it is Champion bermuda not Champions (kind of like Green Committee not Greens Committee  /  

Chris,
I know bermuda grows well in sun, and not so well in shade. I never really felt the need to count hours after learning that, but there are guys who will take your money to tell you bermuda grows well in the sun and not so well in the shade.

As far as what your assistant heard, like what you heard in confidence over lunch about segregation and Lou promptly identified, I can only scratch my head and wonder. Now, if your young assistant, who currently works on a bent course but heard how a growth retardant caused loss of firmness due to resistance (WTF?), wants to come here and sign up and tell us all the faults with this grass or another, I'll engage as I can... but what have I heard? I've heard bent courses are over priced...just kidding...but seriously? Ever wonder why so few supers play here?

[Chris Cupit]

Don,

Certainly didn't mean to offend I was just seeing what your experience was vis-a-vis light requirements.  Last year we ran some tests with light meters based on some guidelines given to us and my super invited a bermuda guy (Chris Purvis) to come and see what he thought about bermuda viability and challenges we may have if we ever made the switch.  Chris' advice really harped on the need for as much sunlight as possible and I was only seeing if that was your experience as well.  I have seriously considered the bermuda option and really like the notion of the course all being in great shape at the same time.  The one caveat I have heard was the need to be willing to prune and remove trees to ensure as much sunlight as possible and I only was seeing if that would be your advice as well.  

The comment about the growth regulators wasn't meant as anything other than I thought maybe someone else heard a similar thing.  The conversation with Pat and my super wasn't anything in "confidence" it was just three golf people discussing pros and cons and trying to figure out what experiences others were having.  Most of what I discussed was information from a roundtable discussion Pat had with 30 other supers from my state about the pros (mostly pros in his mind) and cons of ultra dwarfs.  Pat is very well respected and certainly is by me, but some supers with "in the field" experience had some differences of opinion on some issues with him.  I don't think it is violating "confidences" to point out that there is no unanimity (yet) on what grass "should" be used in the transition zone and areas like Atlanta.  I am only speaking relative to my area as it is all I know.  I guess my point about Pat was that there is always a "latest and greatest" grass out there and we were just trying to press for any of the negatives.

I believe the ultra dwarfs can have a tremendous, positive impact on golf in the south but as I said, I am by nature very cautious and as an owner tend to want to know as much as possible before jumping on board.

My assistant and I were having a conversation today about bermuda (it was 93 today and will hit perhaps 95+ tomorrow) and he had just read what he thought was an interesting article.  If I understood, a common practice in ATlanta for ultra dwarfs is to utilize turf growth regulators to help "tighten up" the grass and help create a really great putting surface.  He was commenting on one type of ultra dwarf and mentioned that the article suggested it may be developing resistance to the chemical (maybe it was primo?--I forget).  Anyway, neither he nor I are trying to slam anyone or suggest that one grass is bad and another is good.  I certainly didn't intend to challenge you or your experiences.

The intent of my post was to try and point out that professionals like yourself and others are weighing many factors and considerations and that all courses are unique and there is never a perfect comparison between golf courses.

I hate the comparisons that always result by golfers between courses as no one ever knows budgets, growing conditions, unique micro climate challenges, etc....

Lastly, my experience has been that as a group and unlike PGA guys (don't attack me as I come from a huge PGA family) and CMAA guys, superintendents are among the most collegial and helpful to one another as any group I have ever seen.  There is a "team" mentality among supers which I find healthy and refreshing in this industry as I know supers go out of their way to share equipment, advice and knowledge freely with one another.  There is a sense that they are all "in this together" and I think that is great.  My posts were really to try and share information, not "prove" anything.  Again, I apologize if I offended you.

[Mike_Young]

Chris,
As for Champion vs. the others....if I am not mistaken..I think Champion was "found" where the others were created by universities...Champion was a mutation if not mistaken....so it could have a few more issues...not sure...

Mike,
That's interesting logic. Are you saying grasses developed by breeders, like penncross bent for example, don't mutate?
Ever seen tif dwarf mutate?

Don,
I don't know.  I do rememebr a grass guy telling me that the champion was a grass that was discovered in someone's green or fairway or somewhere and it had just evolved...so my logic was that it would possibly continue to evolve....as for the breeder types of grasses...I just assumed they might be more stable....   right or wrong?

[Don_Mahaffey]

Chris,
I responded to your post about the "rumor". Had you said there was a published article (maybe you could give me a link?), I would have taken a look before commenting. Writing negatives about a grass based on a rumor is what set me off. That and your comments on an earlier post about segregation. If the USGA guys have proof that segregation is occurring, I'd sure like to hear about it from them with some empirical data backing up that claim. I guess I've turned into a cynic but thru the years I've read and heard way too much bashing that was simply related to someone's business interest. If your going to say a grass is segregating or developing resistance I'd sure like to hear it from either named sources or at least the super's themselves. Otherwise it just sounds like more of the same toro vs rainbird, champion vs mini verde stuff. 

Mike,
Both penncross and tif dwarf were developed grassed that often mutated.

[Mike_Young]

Don,
I've decided I'm a mutation also....

[Don_Mahaffey]

Mike,
aren't we all...

[Randy Thompson]

Penncross has three parents,,,with time it starts to mutate and take form of it´s original parents.
All of us must remember all these conclusion are IN GENERAL and there are always exceptions based on a ton of factors. There are instances in Texas where you would need very little fungicides on bent and West Texas for example with its low hunidity really gives it an advantage to Bermuda and then you add that they can have some really nasty winters and thus lots of winter kill on Bermuda. High elevations in the south also tilts the choice towards bent. Costal areas have more of a micro climate and usually more mild winters, a plus for Bermudas. Have a hard time imagining some of the new bents couldn´t make it on the South Carolina coast if somebody really wanted to spend the money and effort.

[Chris Cupit]

Chris,
I responded to your post about the "rumor". Had you said there was a published article (maybe you could give me a link?), I would have taken a look before commenting. Writing negatives about a grass based on a rumor is what set me off. That and your comments on an earlier post about segregation. If the USGA guys have proof that segregation is occurring, I'd sure like to hear about it from them with some empirical data backing up that claim. I guess I've turned into a cynic but thru the years I've read and heard way too much bashing that was simply related to someone's business interest. If your going to say a grass is segregating or developing resistance I'd sure like to hear it from either named sources or at least the super's themselves. Otherwise it just sounds like more of the same toro vs rainbird, champion vs mini verde stuff. 

Mike,
Both penncross and tif dwarf were developed grassed that often mutated.

Don,

Fair enough and I will either provide a link to the article or cut and paste the article directly re: the growth regulators or delete that from my post.  "Rumor" was a poor word choice--it was a declarative statement made by my asst. today regarding an article he read on the topic.  I will also confirm with my super the conversation we had with Pat re segregation or delete that part of the post as well.  The segregation comment came not from an empirical study but rather from anecdotal evidence from more than one golf course.  I was sitting across the table from Pat and that is what I recall; but, it was several months ago and maybe I have confused segregation with contamination.  If so, I'll correct that.

I can assure you neither I nor any of my employees have a financial interest in any of this or any grass/seed company.

I have heard rave reviews about all three ultra dwarfs (I know there are more but I am referring to three biggies that I am familiar with) and the former GM at my club can't speak highly enough of the protocol Champion uses.  He will tell you that they have a great product, they stand behind it with a guarantee and  they come in and tell you what to do; you do it and you will have a great putting surface.  He is a VERY satisfied Champion user.

Here are examples of two links from Champion and Mini Verde "bashing each other" and unlike in my case, it is CERTAINLY for financial gain:


I am posting below a link from a mini verde website (Phillip Jennings) in which they compare themselves to Champion and TifEagle. 
http://www.sodfather.com/assets/pdf/MiniVerde%20vs%20TifEagle%20and%20Champion.pdf

Now here is a Champion link telling how it is the superior grass:
http://www.championturffarms.com/html_Champion/champion_characteristics.html

BTW, as most can read for themselves, the general thrust that I have taken great pains to state is that ultra dwarfs are no doubt game changers for many southern golf courses and represent GIANT leaps forward in bermudagrass.  However, they are not perfect and the jury is still out as to all the pros and cons. 

Perhaps more importantly, I have also tried to point out to all readers that professional superintendents are the ones who best know ALL the factors that would need to be balanced when deciding on one grass or the other.   

I have re-read my posts and don't see where my comments about my asst. necessitated you "challenging" him to come and show you anything.  He has no context about this conversation, you, your course or even this website.  I merely related a conversation I had with him today that by coincidence included a comment about Champion. That comment was based on something he just happened to read recently. 

I don't understand your reaction and I am sorry our "spat" may thread jack a topic that I think has been informative for many people, including myself.  I recognize that you are an expert in the field, and, like my super, you have been nominated as a finalist for Super of the Year by your peers which speaks highly of your accomplishments. 

In answer to a question you posed earlier, I really don't understand why more supers don't "play here."  My first thought is the time factor.  Frankly, if I was an expert I would be happy to share knowledge, correct misconceptions and hope I would not react in a threatened way from a layman.

Your sarcastic comment in response to my genuine question about your experience re: sunlight "I know bermuda grows well in sun, and not so well in shade. I never really felt the need to count hours after learning that, but there are guys who will take your money to tell you bermuda grows well in the sun and not so well in the shade." is indicative of the smart ass responses many committee members and lay golfers receive from their supers.  Any wonder why many golfers show little respect for your profession at times

[Steve Okula]

Mike,
aren't we all...

Don & Mike,

Can you point to any empirical evidence or research that support your conclusions that you are both mutations?

[Mike_Young]

Mike,
aren't we all...

Don & Mike,

Can you point to any empirical evidence or research that support your conclusions that you are both mutations?

Steve,
For me it was root length, increased ability ability to store carbs over the winter and a few other things....and I am probably a radionuclide....

[BCrosby]

I have been out of town for several days and just caught up. This thread is what GCA should be about. 

Great stuff. And thanks.

Bob   

[Chris Cupit]

To all and especially Don M,

I need to apologize for my last post--I over reacted and I am sorry. Don, I appreciate your PM and I appreciate the dialogue.

I did want to clear up where I may have misled some re: segregation and provide the link re: TGR resistance which as I understand better, is not an issue that supers are not already aware of and it seemed like a bigger deal to me than it most likely is and I apologize if that came through in my posts.

First--the segregation issue.  The background of this was that Pat O'Brien had come and provided a Turf Advisory visit and had also agreed to a presentation and lengthy Q & A session afterwards from my membership.  We had about 50 attendees.  It is fair to say that Pat is a very exuberiant proponent of the ultra dwarfs and I have attended two additional seminars from Pat (and Chris Hartwigger) and it is fair to say that many bent grass supers were tired of hearing "how dumb" they were to keep fighting the bent and that everyone should be on the bermuda bandwagon  

Even some supers who had the bermuda felt Pat was going a bit overboard "selling" everyone on the glories of the new ultra dwarfs.  (Also, the bent supers wanted some help in terms of BMPs THEN to help solve their issues versus hearing about what shoulda, woulda and coulda been done).

Anyway, after the presentation we had dinner and after a grilling from my super and asst. he mentioned that of course, there were some "issues" and I believe he used the word segregation.  I now realize that that word can have a significant meaning genetically.  I understand that Champion is essentially a cloned grass with unique DNA that should pass down in tact for generations.  If Mendelian Segregation were occuring and changing the fundamental plant DNA, that would be a big issue.

What was being referred to was that courses were noticing a "segregation" of color and perhaps texture on their greens.  Pretty much there were some "patches" that developed over the years that did not seem as perfectly uniform as the rest of the grass.  First, this was totally cosmetic because even if the texture were slightly different, cutting heights are so low on these ultra dwarf (below .100) that it would be undetectable.

What I believe he may have been referring to was not a genotypical mutation or segregation but a phenotypical one.  The phenotype which I understand to be the outward appearance or manifestation of the plants genotype can vary based on environmental factors (again, if I understand correctly.)  Perhaps this is the "segregation" people are noticing which is not a fundamental "break down" of the plants DNA.  It can be a simple discoloration on a small section compared to another.  BTW, this happens to bent as well.

Here is a link to a USGA article about genetic mutations in ultra dwarfs although I think they discuss Tifs not Champion.  This may have been what Pat was referring to and I may have been confused but this is an interesting read:

http://turf.lib.msu.edu/2000s/2009/090120.pdf

As for the resistance to turf growth regulators I have attached an article from the USGA turf advisory newsletter that may be what my supers (both of them) were discussing the other day with another turf guy in the business.  I also had my asst. email Dr. McCarty at Clemson University.

Lucas' (my asst.) email was this:
 Dr. McCarty,

I have heard rumors that Champion Bermuda can become resistant to PGR applications. Is this true or just a rumor? I cant remember who told this to me and what literature they may have read, but if you know anything, can you give me a 5 x 9 explanation? The owner of our club is on the fence of whether or not he should even consider converting, but obviously a resistance issue could push him to either being comfortable with sticking to bent or considering mini-verde or tifeagle. Thanks very much!!

Lucas Walters
AGCS Rivermont Country Club

Dr. McCarty answered:

Lucas
 
Primo’s half life in the summer heat drops to less than 5-days, therefore, one gets less time of regulation, regardless of the bermudagrass.
 
Obviously, either a higher rate is used or it has to be applied more frequently during summer to overcome this.
 
Since Champion is typically a more aggressively growing grass, more Primo or more frequency of application will be needed for it.
 
Bert

The article suggesting resistance that may or may not have been the source of concern was this:

http://turf.lib.msu.edu/gsr/2010s/2010/100114.pdf

If you click on it you will see the article has NOTHING to do with TGR resistance  It does deal with fungicide resistance in some ultra dwarfs but it may have been what planted the "seed" about resistance.  

The e-mail and explanation I received from Lucas and Don is this:

ALL grasses develop resistances to chemical applications and most of the time, since this is something supers deal with daily, they know what the heck to do--more frequent apps or higher rates.  (Or rotating chemical use to try and prevent resistances from developing as quickly).  The e-mail from Dr. McCarty does suggest the good news/bad news about Champion is that because it is such an aggressive growing grass (a good thing) its resistance to primo may be greater than that of mini verde and TifEagle.  I did not mean to mislead anyone about this "resistance" issue and apologize if I did.

I have attached a number of pro and con articles about the bent/bermuda debate below.  Please remember that what I suggest for all members who wish to be informed is this:

1.  Read up if you are really interested--the USGA turf advisory service is great.
2.  Understand that your course is a living organism and there are a zillion things to factor in to decisions like this.
3.  Finally, defer to the professional opinion of your turf grass expert.  He (should ) know as well as anyone all these zillion issues above .

Articles:

Covers:  http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1104208581565.html
Bermuda grass problems:  http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1104355704452.html
Bent grass problems:  http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1103592058694.html
**Convert to bermuda now!   http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1104633545135.html
**Bent grass still works!  http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1104782157355.html
The bottom two articles are must reads if you are interested in this stuff!

Again, I apologize for over reacting and I really do appreciate the hard work and dedication of all supers out there like my guys and guys like Don.  For guys like me who are interested in this stuff, go to usga.org and then look up old turf advisory articles--there are dozens about the pros and cons of bent and bermuda!

[Anthony_Nysse]

I haven’t been able to write like I'd like as we are in the middle of a 2 week closure for cart path restoration and full aerification/verticutting/topdressing/graden, etc...
  Dr. McCarty is one of the best and we used him religiously when I was at Long Cove, as my boss was a Clemson grad. That being said, I’m not too sure I agree with the following statement,
"Since Champion is typically a more aggressively growing grass, more Primo or more frequency of application will be needed for it." TO ME, Champion is the LEAST aggressive growing grass of the ultradwafts. You NEVER hear stories of Superintendents having to aggressively verticut, circle cut for grain, graden, large core aerify. In fact, the common comment I hear about Champion is that it is NOT an aggressive grower. Superintendents worry about aerifying with too big of a core and NOT being able to grow the greens back over in a respectable period. I've heard numerous stories of the worries about getting bermudagrass decline and NOT being able to grow back out of it.
  I can firmly say that tifeagle and Mini are the 2 most aggressive growing grasses, but much of that can also be controlled with limiting nitrogen. I have an issue with the USGA and I'm working on a piece to present to them. Every article I read from them instructs 10-12, even up to 18# of Nitrogen a year! Could this play a DIRECT roll into the reason that Superintendents have to be so aggressive with their cultural practices? ABSOLUTELY!  That’s .25#-.35# of N a WEEK! With that much N going down, you have to apply a TGR all the time! We used about 3.5-4# of nitrogen a year and only aerify twice a year, using ¾” tines. We graden once and verticut when needed. Now, we do topdress 40+ times a year, but that’s for a firm surface and ball roll. 
  I think that the USGA needs to look into the mirror in this time of being “green” and sustainability, they need to look at their stance of ultradwafts again.

I’ll save my thoughts about bent in the south for later….I hear the aerifiers leaving the shop….

[JMEvensky]

Echoing Bob Crosby,thanks to everyone who's taken the time to help explain this stuff.

[Jerry Kluger]

A QUESTION PLEASE?

I am in the Mid-Atlantic area and I have seen a number of courses go to bent grass fairways and while one has gone to Bermuda.  With respect to the bent grass fairways it seems to me that they always seem to be very soft as a result of frequent watering.  They look good but with the frequent watering and softness the courses tend to play significantly longer.  My question: Is it possible to have firm and fast bent grass fairways in a hot and humid climate? If so, what type of additional maintenance costs are you looking at?

[Tom Yost]

During the golf boom of the late 80's - 90's in the greater Phoenix area, many of the upscale daily fee courses were introduced with bent greens.  In the past decade, most have re-turfed with bermuda. 

[Randy Thompson]

A QUESTION PLEASE?

I am in the Mid-Atlantic area and I have seen a number of courses go to bent grass fairways and while one has gone to Bermuda.  With respect to the bent grass fairways it seems to me that they always seem to be very soft as a result of frequent watering.  They look good but with the frequent watering and softness the courses tend to play significantly longer.  My question: Is it possible to have firm and fast bent grass fairways in a hot and humid climate? If so, what type of additional maintenance costs are you looking at?

Jerry,
I have not seen really good fast and firm bent fairways under any enviromental conditions but not to say they don´t exist but if they do, it is rare. The bents also get really thatchy if you start trying to maintain them for fairways with a higher height of cut then greens. You would need a sandy soil and lots of aerifying, topdressing, fungicides, verticutting ect. Not sure of the final number but big, not realistic even for a blowhard like donald trump.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Jerry,
  Randy’s has some good information in his post. Let me just add that bentgrass really begins to stress around 88-90 degrees, especially for long periods of time. Any sort of sanding and verticutting at those temperatures and you’re going to see grass start to decline. MANY courses in the mid Atlantic lost A LOT of turf last summer and having bentgrass fwys is similar to having bermudagrass greens in Atlanta. There are certain times of the year where it will be the dominate grass and certain times where it could be a disaster. Bermudagrass really does not begin to grow until the day time high temperature and night time low temperature reach 150 total degrees. ( 90 and 60, 85 and 75, etc..)The issue in your area is it’s not that hot over half the year, thus bermudagrass wouldn’t really thrive, plus the fact with the snow cover you get, you’d be sodding bermudagrass every year.  The cart traffic would also wear it done to dirt and it’s not warm enough, long enough to recover.

[Chris Cupit]

Thnks for the responses.  Anthony, FWIW I did print the e-mails from my guy and Dr. McCarty in their entirety--didn't want you to think I was pulling from portions of an email.  I think it illustrates an excellent point and that is this:

All conditions are unique and all data--from anectdotal evidence to observations at nearby clubs to formal research from research labs needs to be weighed and evaluated understanding an individual's situation is still unique. 

For Atlanta again the historic averages show this:

First day of reaching that key "150 mark" is traditionally June 23 with average high of 86 and low of 64.  Through July and August temps average 88/67 and 86/66 for highs and lows and once again fall under the 150 mark traditionally on Sept. 9th with a high of 84 and low of 65.  But as we know, "averages" are just that--it's actual temps that count!

Unfortunately what we have seen the past five years is very atypical weather with very hot highs well into the 90s and even over 100 at times last year (and 2007)and very low lows.  Atlanta may be the perfect case where you can be damned if you do and damned if you don't no matter what grass you have.  I do think overall, bermuda is slightly easier to manage and there is less fear of catastrophe with bermuda vs. bent in our area. 

[Anthony_Nysse]

Chris,
  You're in a similar position as Colonial is in Texas. 4 months out of the year, you're on death watch-judicial with your watering, fungicide use, etc...4 months out of the year, you're looking forward to the temps to start to warm up and 4 months the grass is just as content as can be. I know in Texas, we would get temps in the teens and not break 32 in the winter..not great for an ultradwaft. I'm sure your Superintendent wouldnt be excited about having to cover greens during the winter months, too! Youre lucky to have the Supt you have...he's seen most everything.

[Jerry Kluger]

So let me see if I understand what is probably going to happen in my area when the temperatures get really hot - bent grass fairways are going to be really stressed and since hand watering is not possible, the only other solution is to turn on the sprinklers and cool them down that way.  Problem is that you will err on the side of over watering as you cannot look at small areas like on a green so you wind up with very soft fairways.  Bermuda grass doesn't seem to work with our very cold winters so the obvious question is what is the best solution?

[Roger Wolfe]

My 2 cents:
For Atlanta there is no "silver bullet" or perfect grass...  

Hi Chris,

Just wanted to let you know I sent this post to my greens committee and board.  I am the GM
of Carolina Golf Club in Charlotte and have been carefully observing the bent vs bermuda green
debate for many years now.  Your post really covers all the bases.  Thanks for a great effort!

[Randy Thompson]

So let me see if I understand what is probably going to happen in my area when the temperatures get really hot - bent grass fairways are going to be really stressed and since hand watering is not possible, the only other solution is to turn on the sprinklers and cool them down that way.  Problem is that you will err on the side of over watering as you cannot look at small areas like on a green so you wind up with very soft fairways.  Bermuda grass doesn't seem to work with our very cold winters so the obvious question is what is the best solution?

Jerry
Most likely a ryegrass, bluegrass or fescue and even more likely some kind of mix within two or three of these grasses. As you can  see from this thread, lots of factors go into what will work best in your particular area and an expert in the area should be consulted or the super will provide documentation to what and why but it is unlikely any expert will recommend the bent unless some weird circumstances.

[Bruce Wellmon]

From today's Charlotte Observer. Ron Green, Jr.
http://green-side.blogspot.com/2012/05/growing-greens-welcome-to-future.html

This Blog Linked From Here CharlotteObserver.com Links


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Growing greens: Welcome to the future
 
   We're in the midst of a revolution around Charlotte.
   Bentgrass greens are going away.
   Permanently.
   You know what happens to bent greens in the summer around here. They're soft and mushy and slow because superintendents have to devote their lives to keeping them alive from June through early September.
   And when bent greens should be their best -- spring and fall -- they're getting aerated.
   This summer, several Charlotte-area courses including The Peninsula Club, River Run, Verdict Ridge and River Hills among them, are converting from bentgrass to the more popular and heat-tolerant bermuda grass. It takes about two months to make the switch and you're playing again.
   The Golf Club at Ballantyne and Springfield Golf Club in Fort Mill, S.C., were among the first to do it a couple of years ago. Soon, virtually every course in the Charlotte area -- public and private -- will have bermuda greens. Quail Hollow Club has already announced it'll change to bermuda prior to the 2017 PGA Championship.
   I'm writing a bigger story about what's involved and why it's so popular. It's not a trend. The USGA Green Section representative for this area says we'll hardly see any bentgrass around here in 10 years.
   Welcome to the future.