Page 36 - Transitioning Turfgrass
P. 36

TRANSITIONING TURFGRASS

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          Bermudagrass Maintenance

          above the 45  Parallel
                                   th


          Brian Óg O’Flaherty, Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Land Hort), Master of Science



          Maintaining turfgrass to a suitable standard for   are used to help with certain annual maintenance
          the game of golf in a transition climate zone is   operations.
          highly challenging. In Italy, this challenge is in-  During the hotter months of the year the course
          creased by high player expectations of course   suffered summer decline in all areas and at the
          conditions, relatively modest resources for golf   end of August the condition of the fairways was
          course maintenance and increasing restrictions on   no longer acceptable for play (Photo 1). The club
          pesticide use.                          began evaluating warm season turf species in the
          Golf della Montecchia is a 27 hole facility, cover-  course nursery in 2003. These trials were done
          ing 82 hectares situated at 45°23’N, 11°45’E (Fig.   with the Italian Golf Federation and the Universi-
          1).  The  climate  is  typical  of  the  transition  zone;   ty of Pisa and concluded in 2007. Bermuda spp.,
          hot summers with maximum temperatures above   Zoysia spp.,  Paspalum spp., Kikuyu and Centi-
          30°C and cool winters with minimum tempera-  pede grass were among the species evaluated.
          tures below 0°C. The course was constructed in   Evaluations over the duration of the trial showed
          1992 and seeded with bentgrass greens and tees   Bermuda grass to be the species most adapted to
          and a mix of perennial ryegrass, smooth stalked   the climate at Montecchia. In 2010, the club be-
          meadowgrass and red fescue in the fairways   gan to convert the fairways (Photo 2, page 33) on
          and  rough.  The  greenkeeping  team  consists  of   the first nine holes to bermuda grass (var. Patriot).
          a superintendent, 5 full time greenkeepers and   In 2011, this project was expanded to include the
          a mechanic. During the busier months the team   tees. The third nine holes were completed in 2012.
          is assisted by 4 part time staff. Local contractors   The use of pesticides became more restricted af-





















          Figure 1 Golf della Montecchia geographical position.  Photo 1 Unacceptable fairway conditions.

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