Creating quality turfgrass by design.

Publication: California Fairways

Publication Date: 01-MAR-05

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COPYRIGHT 2005 Adams Business Media

Here's a question: Have you ever driven out to the furthest reaches of your golf course property, to address some problem that just won't go away, and wondered, "Why on earth did the architect do it this way?"

Well, I'm here to tell you why. Or rather I'm here tell you what at an architect is thinking with regard to turfgrass issues and the conditioning of a golf course before a project starts. Maybe by understanding where the architect was coming from (or should have been coming from), you'll better understand and grapple with the issues you face.

Here's a specific way our preparation, as architects, might inform your day-to-day duties as superintendents: Grass can be grown on poor soils but there are two things that usually happen, 1) the conditioning will be very inconsistent (too many soil types that require different maintenance practices), and 2) the cost to maintain that turf can be increased by as much as 20-30%.

When we start a job, one of the first things we do first is have the soil tested. Have you tested yours recently?

Architects need to know what exists and what type of steps need to be taken, in advance, so the superintendent can most effectively grow grass. Did you grow in your golf course? Odds are you didn't, and the soil testing which may or may not have been done is either outdated or was never shared with you.

Before any grading or shaping on a new project or renovation we recommend that 6 inches of topsoil be stripped and stockpiled. This topsoil...

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