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Sandy Golf
by Kevin Downing, CGCS,
BallenIsles Country Club |
Our wonderful sunshine state
is graced with glorious beaches which are majestically
complimented by endless water vistas and miles of sandy
shores. Just think how similar they are to the Florida golf
courses which seem to mimic our coastlines. Just the other
day I visited a course that had over forty –acres of water
and a plentiful 102 bunkers. All of that sand is integral to
the strategy of the course, but sand is also instrumental to
the conditioning of our golf facilities.
The courses that have a predominant “sand based” topsoil can
demonstrate some good qualities for the game. The sand based
courses have a tendency to drain much faster after heavy
rains and these firmer fairways allow the tee shots to
travel a little further. On the flip side, the sandy course
will need much more water and the turf can suffer during
extended dry periods. A microscopic insect called nematodes
are much more prevalent in these types of soils and can reek
havoc with turf roots. The porous nature of this material
requires more fertilizer which of course drives up the price
of maintenance. A northern course might only fertilize two
times a year while a Florida course might have to apply up
to twelve fertilizations a year.
Improved or screened sands are utilized for various golf
course conditioning programs other than replenishing
bunkers. Golf course superintendents use green-dyed sand to
fill divots while various mixes are used to topdress greens.
The topdressing of the greens helps to improve ball roll
while also minimizing the impact of grain. It’s amazing to
think that the courses of the 1920’s had sand greens and in
today’s world some courses are topdressing with specially
dried sands on a weekly basis. A program such as weekly
topdressing can improve putting, but it surely becomes a
burden on equipment and requires a serious commitment from
staff.
The biggest impact that sand makes in golf is no doubt the
bunkers themselves. Maybe next time we can explore the
ramifications of the “torture pits” filled with sand that we
see each and every weekend.
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