Most golfers are completely unaware of an essential aspect of the USGA's programs and activities - its turfgrass and environmental research program. The game of golf would not be the same without it.
Since 1920 the USGA Green Section has conducted and supported turfgrass research to provide better playing conditions for golfers. Major accomplishments have included the development of dramatically improved grasses, cultural maintenance practices, and weed, insect and disease control methods, to name just a few.
It may seem that after 87 years of research, all the problems would have been solved. Not so! Golfer demands for better and better course conditions are causing more problems than ever before. Greens cut at a tenth of an inch, stimpmeter readings routinely surpassing 10 or 11 feet, cart traffic, fairways cut to 3/8 of an inch, and trees planted 50-80 years ago that now shade our greens, tees, roughs and fairways, all combine to cause stressed turf that is susceptible to disease and pest activity, cold, heat, drought, salt, traffic and other stresses. There are nearly 40 major disease organisms that ravage our turf, requiring tens of millions of dollars for pesticides to contain them.
Today, the USGA leads the way in turfgrass research, allocating $1.3 million annually to address the needs of the turf and the environment. This contribution is doubled or tripled at the 30-plus universities that receive USGA research grants. But considering that golf is an industry that generates tens of billions of dollars annually, more dollars need to be contributed to keep ahead of the problems found on our golf courses.
Once-in-a-blue-moon might characterize the relatively easy golf season encountered by golf course superintendents in many parts of the country. Usually we can expect large areas to experience severe problems, including drought, flooding, disease activity, insect damage, heat, humidity, cold and/or other conditions that cause turf damage and poor playing conditions. While golfers were enjoying good conditions on their courses, use of the Green Section's Turf Advisory Service declined somewhat last year because fewer courses called for help.
In good years or bad, however, regional agronomists send out timely updates to help golf courses cope with problems that occur each season - explaining to golfers the challenges that courses are having throughout their regions. These updates also are immediately put up on the USGA Web site, where anyone can access the information. Golf associations, golf course superintendent chapters and other organizations are regular users of these updates, and many of our updates end up in industry publications and on bulletin boards at golf courses. Usage reports for the 2007 summer months (August/September) show that page views for the regional updates section averaged 25,500 page views per month. This season, take a look at the USGA Web site and find out what's going on in your region.
