Rebuild and sod greens with A1/A4 bent (have never been rebuilt since opening in 1922)
How did the club decide to use A1/A4 and not one of the newer bents such as 007 or Tyee? Why did the club decide to sod instead of see the greens?
Thanks in advance
David, below is a comprehensive answer from Cricket's Director of Grounds, Dan Meersman:
Sodding
We wanted our turf to be as mature as possible when we opened for member play, and sodding reduces risk and washouts during construction.
Sodding also reduced our construction window. This gave our members six additional months of golfing.
Because we planned in advance we were very involved in all aspects of the seeding and grow-in process at the farm. In the end, we are getting exactly what we wanted; versus whatever some sod farm had in stock.
I don't begrudge anyone who chooses to seed either, but greens sod has gotten an unfair reputation because a lot of clubs in the past who have sodded their greens "had to sod" their greens because they needed a quick turn-around following some loss of turf in August; which then forced a hasty, un-planned greens program.
Often times in these situations, they lost turf in the first place because of bad growing environments; not because of the green. Therefore, when they find themselves in the throws of their season in September and October, they quickly have to react and sod a new surface in the same bad growing environment....which obviously fails again. During such times, they have to get whatever sod anyone has in stock. Truthfully, not many folks have experience sodding a complete greens program with 18 good growing environments, using the exact sod they had planned on using years ahead of time.
In our case we improved every greens growing environment years ahead of time. Therefore, we already had great turf on every green when we closed. These same great growing environments gives our new sod their best chance for success.
There's a difference between planning a greens program, vs. reacting into a greens program.
A1/A4
Depending on geography, they have yet to develop an improvement of A1/A4, thankfully there is not a lot to improve. We already have it on Militia Hill, it grows great on our site, and it was an area which our members can expect consistency between the two courses. Genetically, 007 is an improvement of L93. Wouldn't necessarily say it's better than A1/A4. 007 is indeed a great turf, and we are using it on fairways, tees, and approaches.
What's funny about the seed variety debate, and superintendents do this too, is you can grow great quality turf with almost any of the good varieties with good growing environments. Unfortunately, many courses go to great lengths to research a great seed variety, then place it in the same poor growing environments they had. Then, when the turf isn't optimal, they are fast to blame the grass variety, when the truth is, they didn't improve the growing environments.