A topic of discussion at a recent Turf Advisory Service visit was the poor midsummer performance of fairway turf…not all the turf, but just the grainy, lime green patches scattered throughout the playing surfaces. From the vantage point of a golf cart, I was confident I knew the answer. Light green + looks great during spring/fall + patches + summer decline =Poa trivialis. It wasn’t until the superintendent mentioned the patches being exceptionally susceptible to dollar spot that I finally put my nose down into the grass with a hand lens for a closer look and found a surprise. These patches were creeping bentgrass that had segregated into discrete colonies over the years at this very old, classic course. How quickly a smug smile can turn into a sheepish grin. Yet, my embarrassment serves a purpose to remind us all to never jump to conclusions regarding turf problems.
Source: Bob Vavrek ( rvavrek@usga.org )
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