How quickly can a bad thatch layer develop?

[Jeff Goldman]

I was reading an article on the preparation of Whistling Straits for the PGA, and they were talking about thatch issues they were dealing with.  Since those greens are pretty new (1998), I was wondering how quickly thatch can develop in new greens, especially the newer bents.  Is it possible that under the right (that is, wrong) conditions, too much thatch can show up in just a few years?  Thanks!

Jeff Goldman

[Pat K]

If the new bents are grown in using the guidlines of the old penncross bent then an over abundance of thatch can be had in a season.

[Tom_Doak]

I'd agree with Pat.  I've seen it in 2-3 years on some of my courses, and we aren't using the grasses which produce thatch the quickest.

[PjW]

Pats right.

Over water, over fertilize; infrequent topdressing, verticutting and aerifications, spells THATCH!

I have seen it develop right out of grow-in with trying to aggressively achieve a mature turf for opening, if the supt isnt on his toes.  (Personal experience, Bear Creek, Temecula CA, 1982).  

 

[Scott Witter]

Pat K,

This is true.  Here within twenty miles of us there is a new course which opened this year, big mistake for many reasons, but their greens were/are very thatchy and it only took the grow-in period for this to develop.  They seede with A4 or A2 can't remember which at the moment.  The problem was just as you described Pat, the superintendent who has no grow in experience, was attempting to bring the grass along using old methods and it completely got away from him.

[Marc Haring]

Thatch can actually be a major problem on new greens for the above reasons but also because it takes a few years to build up the populations of micro-organisms that will naturally break the thatch down.