New grasses in the future?

[Pete Blaisdell]

For our site architects and Supers--

  Are there any new grass strains or hybrids in the development stage ??

  With all the weather and pattern changes in the last five years and living in the Norheast with tough , cold winters, we see a slow growth in healthy grass to start the season. Many courses that have great conditions in May are experiencing many dead patches , especially in low areas and disease. Anything coming down the road that might offer some hope and relief? Thanks!! This has been a big topic of discussion in my neck of the woods.

[Matt Frey, PGA]

Ron Whitten was talking about new strains of zoysia being showcased at the Golf Industry Show the other day on Twitter. Here is a brief article on one: http://www.golfcourseindustry.com/gci/02515-GIS-zoysia-Olympic.aspx

[Patrick_Mucci]

Pete,

One of the problems with "new" grasses, is getting them out of the lab and successfully into play.

As David Fay once told me, If grasses were drugs, the FDA wouldn't let most of them out of the lab."

Subjecting grasses to wear and tear, mother nature and the unforseen is difficult to replicate in a lab.

But, one would have to think that grasses with less need for water are in the works.

[Marc Haring]

Could they not invent a grass that harpoons earthworms. Every inland course is a sea of mud at the moment.

[Jim Hoak]

People with more vision than I say that the biggest single issue facing golf today and in the future is water--availability, cost and public relations.  New grasses that aid in this problem are essential.  Paspallum helps in some limited warm areas, but there must be more work on other water-saving grasses, or the problem will increase.

[Joe Hancock]

Todays' grasses are very capable of getting by with less water....it's the golfers who need to be weaned first.

And, earthworms are a vital part of the soil.

Joe

[jeffwarne]

Todays' grasses are very capable of getting by with less water....it's the golfers who need to be weaned first.

And, earthworms are a vital part of the soil.

Joe

+1
and to boot, courses keep getting bigger

[BCowan]

Pete,
 
   A good friend of mine is a keeper in metro Detroit and with the new grasses available today he has cut his water consumption by 25-30%.  Plus this cold/poor weather is a great excuse and a reason to sell tree removal to your membership!  Natural sunlight does wonders!   

[Kevin Stark]

There are bermuda varieties now that are very cold-tolerant. We installed Patriot bermuda on one of our range tee pads two years ago in Indianapolis and it has been great. If there was a winter that was going to kill it, it was the winter of 2013-2014 and it came through fine. We are installing another variety on one of the other pads this summer (likely Latitude 36). When the genetics improve to where bermuda can be used on the entire golf course, such that it's actively growing May 1-October 31 and can survive any winter uncovered, that will radically lower the water and chemical inputs required here.

[Mike_Young]

Athe UGA Griffin Experimental Station field day this past year they had a bermuda grass, I think it was called "DT1" which used almost 10 time less water than 419 or Celebration.  They had comparison plots showing where they had gone a month or more without water on the three grasses metioned above.  The only one remaining green was the DT1.    That would be nice...

[Joe Hancock]

But Mike...

That just helps perpetuate the myth that brown grass is dead grass. Maybe it'll be a better bermuda, maybe not....but a lot of grasses are really good for golf when they are in drought-dormancy.

My point is that the grasses we already have...like 419....do great with little water. I think Streamsong is making that point loud and clear.

Joe

[Bradley Anderson]

For greens we have plenty of good bentgrass choices for very dry and firm conditions, but you need plenty of sunlight and good drainage or the Poa will just come back.

[Mike_Young]

But Mike...

That just helps perpetuate the myth that brown grass is dead grass. Maybe it'll be a better bermuda, maybe not....but a lot of grasses are really good for golf when they are in drought-dormancy.

My point is that the grasses we already have...like 419....do great with little water. I think Streamsong is making that point loud and clear.

Joe

Joe,
I do understand but if the reality is that clubs want green and we can save 10 times the water.....me..I have 419 and don't water fairways...I wait on rain or either they go brown...

[SL_Solow]

There are new varieties being developed regularly.  We have test plots at CDGA headquarters and at clubs throughout Chicago.  Grasses like 007 which came on to the market after the A series were rested in this way and are now in use.  I suspect there will be more.  the point about regulatory approval is well taken.  I am told there are varieties of ound-up ready bent grass that will likely never be released for fear that they can't be controlled, sort of like Kudzu .  

[BCowan]

For greens we have plenty of good bentgrass choices for very dry and firm conditions, but you need plenty of sunlight and good drainage or the Poa will just come back.

+1.  No point re-grassing in an Arb.  I also think re-grassing fairways will greatly keep the poa out of the greens.  Poor drainage and sunlight negate any reason to re-grass.  I'm curious as to how good pure distinction will look 20 years from now against poa.   

[archie_struthers]

There have been investigations into the use of zoysia for years in the Mid-Atlantic , going at least as far back as Eb Steiniger in the late 60's at Pine Valley.  It is said to wear like iron, a true fact . Many thought it would be extremely effective holding bunker edges together . It's very aggressive though, and almost impossible to remove once established. The playing  characteristics have not equaled the durability of the grass, thus it's fal from favor. For many the color is an issue , though brown doesn't bother me .

We have experimented with the hybrid Bermuda on some tees and our practice area here at Greate Bay , and I'd say it is a marginal success . Certainly not a panacea.

 

[Ben Lovett]

There are all types of new grasses coming out, cold tolerant warm season and heat tolerant cool season!
For bent grass you have 007, T1, Pure distinction which are supposedly more heat tolerant
Ryegrass and Tall fescue now have creeping varieties
You can get heat tolerant Texas bluegrass
On the warm season side Tifgrand is more shade tolerant Bermuda. All the new dwarf greens bermuda are the in thing!
Platinum TE is the newest Paspalum
Zoysia is the new in grass with Tigers course and Brazil using it
I'm interested in trying Buffalo grass in some out of play areas as a low maintenance natural looking rough grass

[Doug Siebert]

If someone could make a grass that would stop growing after reaching a certain height, the world would beat a path to their door.  Even if it wasn't good for golf, imagine how many people would happily reseed their lawn with it!

[Don Mahaffey]

I spent the last few days in San Antonio at the Golf Industry Show. By far the best hour I had on the trade show floor was talking with Armen Suny. To hear his stories about Merion and many of his other experiences was great.  We were preaching to the choir a little bit, but as Joe and Mike have already hinted at, we agreed that what we need more than new grasses is a new (old) attitude where we focus turf management programs on limiting inputs to just what the grass needs for the game of golf.

Grass doesn't reduce water or cut resources required, people do those things, and it takes people who want to do those things more than searching for the latest greatest grass. We've been doing that for 100 years in golf.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Don,

Until the weekly telecasts of the PGA Tour events start deemphasizing lush green conditions, I don't see local clubs heading in the other direction.

While knowledgeable members would agree with you, the majority of members want to play the product they see the PGA Tour Pros playing every week.

For a while, announcers were extolling the virtues of F&F and "brown", but that movement, if it was one, seems to have faded away.

I had hoped that Pinehurst would initiate a trend toward F&F vis a vis brownish/yellowish/greenish playing surfaces.

I'm hoping that the PGA Tour event courses are less than lush and green on the screen.

Time will tell.

 
I spent the last few days in San Antonio at the Golf Industry Show. By far the best hour I had on the trade show floor was talking with Armen Suny. To hear his stories about Merion and many of his other experiences was great.  We were preaching to the choir a little bit, but as Joe and Mike have already hinted at, we agreed that what we need more than new grasses is a new (old) attitude where we focus turf management programs on limiting inputs to just what the grass needs for the game of golf.

Grass doesn't reduce water or cut resources required, people do those things, and it takes people who want to do those things more than searching for the latest greatest grass. We've been doing that for 100 years in golf.

[Ben Lovett]

Here is link to to Pace turf who are doing a global soil survey for sustainable turf and minimum levels for sustainable nutrition
I believe Micah Woods posts on here every now and again
http://www.paceturf.org/journal/minimum_level_for_sustainable_nutrition

[Lyndell Young]

Patrick +1

[Andrew Hardy]

Don,

Until the weekly telecasts of the PGA Tour events start deemphasizing lush green conditions, I don't see local clubs heading in the other direction.

While knowledgeable members would agree with you, the majority of members want to play the product they see the PGA Tour Pros playing every week.

For a while, announcers were extolling the virtues of F&F and "brown", but that movement, if it was one, seems to have faded away.

I had hoped that Pinehurst would initiate a trend toward F&F vis a vis brownish/yellowish/greenish playing surfaces.

I'm hoping that the PGA Tour event courses are less than lush and green on the screen.

Time will tell.



Don't know if I would hold golfers accountable for the lush green conditions. Owners have to take a piece of the blame here. GCI magazine was at a sustainable golf event in Ohio with a room full of owners. Even after the presentation focusing on lowering water use and "browning" their turf. The owners in the room via a raised hand poll didn't lift a single hand when asked if they were considering "less water and going brown". I believe the culprit of this issue and something like green fees is quite simply ego. Ego isn't going to keep you in business.

[Steve Okula]

Ego isn't going to keep you in business.

Why not? It works for Donald Trump.

[BCowan]

Don,

Until the weekly telecasts of the PGA Tour events start deemphasizing lush green conditions, I don't see local clubs heading in the other direction.

While knowledgeable members would agree with you, the majority of members want to play the product they see the PGA Tour Pros playing every week.

For a while, announcers were extolling the virtues of F&F and "brown", but that movement, if it was one, seems to have faded away.

I had hoped that Pinehurst would initiate a trend toward F&F vis a vis brownish/yellowish/greenish playing surfaces.

I'm hoping that the PGA Tour event courses are less than lush and green on the screen.

Time will tell.



Don't know if I would hold golfers accountable for the lush green conditions. Owners have to take a piece of the blame here. GCI magazine was at a sustainable golf event in Ohio with a room full of owners. Even after the presentation focusing on lowering water use and "browning" their turf. The owners in the room via a raised hand poll didn't lift a single hand when asked if they were considering "less water and going brown". I believe the culprit of this issue and something like green fees is quite simply ego. Ego isn't going to keep you in business.

Andrew,

    Going Brown in Ohio would mean going out of business.  It is what the market wants.  Changing minds is going to be an uphill battle.  There are grass strands that use less water and still remain green.