Long grasses in out of play areas

[Mike]

Does anyone about introducing fescues/long grasses in out of play areas on a golf course?  Places like Piping Rock and Camargo have done it beautifully.  We are considering doing the same thing (often where obnoxious trees now stand) and I would like to learn about planting, maintenance and care.  Hopefully, these areas would be rarely, if ever, mowed.

[RJ_Daley]

It is a completely climate sensitive and precipitation rate dependent question.  Where do you live?  What amount of rain and what is your soil conditions?  The worst thing about tall grasses is too much fertility and water.  You don't want grasses so thick you can't find your ball or hit it with some possibility out of them.  How do thick unplayable grasses help.  You say, out of the way... like how far out of the way?  If they are reachable even by wild shots in-bounds, they are no good if unplayable.   :-/

[GC Super Supporter]

Mike,

Do you have a head superintendent at your course?  That's the first person I'd go ask.  There have been many articles in the trade magazines covering this subject and I wouldn't be surprised if the best answer is not on-line, but about 800 yards from your clubhouse.

[Mike]

Yes, we have a superintendent - I am doing some preliminary research on the project for presentation to the Committee of the Green.  We are in western Pennsylvania.  I envision the long grass to be at least 30 yards from a fairway or green.  I hope it would be feasible to have tall grass in which a ball is findable (if watched closely) and at the very least playable with a short club

[Mike]

To what trade magazines do you refer?

[Mike]

To what trade magazines do you refer?

[GC Super Supporter]

Mike,

USGA Greens Section Magazine
Golf Course Management

Also check with Penn State University Turfgrass Department.

Also work with your super on this presentation to your committee; he's probably got loads of information too.  I wouldn't be surpised if he reads these 2 mags regularly.

I assume he's for this project?

[Evan Fleisher]

Mike,

You might try to get a hold of Shelly Solow (he is a club president, and regular but infrequent poster here on GCA) from Chicago.  He has done a very nice job out at his club in Deerfield of planting "no mow" areas adjacent to many of the holes around the course.  These areas fit in very nicely with the flow and terrain.

You can Email me privately if you cannot find his info here online.

[Joe Hancock]

The ONLY way this works is complete lack of irrigation and fertilizer. If the irrigation system hits these target areas...best to keep it mowed.

Joe

[mark studer]

Mike-                                                                            Have your Supt. contact John Zimmers at Oakmont.  They have added many areas of long fescue where trees once blocked the sun. Also Keith Happ(USGA green section staff ) lives in pittsburgh and will help advise your supt. He would be happy to schedule a turf adivsory visit with your supt. Have you budgeted for the cost of this change? How does the Supt  feel about it?

[Dave_Miller]

Mike:
How does your membership feel about it?

If not done carefully you can wind up doing nothing but slowing down play.

Be careful Western Pennsylvania is not Shinnecock and doesn't have dune grass or the links of Scotland.  If this is a Pennsylvania Parkland course I would be very hesitant.

Merion did this this year and it looked like an Iowa Hay Farm (Oh Amber Waves of Merion).

Cheers,

Dave