Greenway Turf Management Program Basis

Greenway Golf’s turf management program has been developed to address the specific needs of the various species of turf grass that is used for sports turf in every conceivable climatic condition. The Greenway program uses several principles to ensure that the correct nutritional, cultural and water management practices are being applied that best suites the individual species of turf grass being maintained.

Mown and irrigated turf grasses are artificial ecosystems and are subject to the same ecological principles as those applying to natural grasslands. Turf grass species will perform well, based on their adaptation to the type of soil conditions that most resemble their place of origin. Greenway uses specific fertilizers and amendments to adjust the surface of the root zone to meet the needs of the turf grass species being maintained.

Greenway’s turf programs have been used in every climatic condition with effective results. Numerous types of clubs from private, daily fee and city operated have achieved results in cost savings, improved surface performance and environmental benefits. Greenway evaluates the needs of the property and understands that maintenance programs may vary based upon root zone material, climatic conditions and growth variations within the varieties of turf grass being maintained.

Greenway’s turf maintenance procedures are a collection of older ideas, newer techniques, and basic scientific principles that together produce a consistent surface.The philosophy is to produce a playing surface and not a crop. Proven, basic research is at the foundation of the program. Modern equipment and newer techniques combined with Old World science have been applied to provide a better playing surface, with reduced costs and environmental benefits. <!--EndFragment-->

The playing surfaces are continually conditioned for short and long-term results. At Greenway we believe it is critical to understand the growing systems and the control that you have over them. It is not a one-size fits all program; rather certain key components need to be adjusted based on specific site requirements. Greenway clearly understands that we must support the golf course superintendent to take an active role and ensure there is a clear understanding of the methods outlined for that facility to achieve the desired results.

Some highlights of the Greenway Turf Management program are…

• The use of common elemental fertilizers and amendments
• The adjustment of cultural programs to reduce stress at certain times of the year
• Making certain that the proper grass is selected for the climatic and soil conditions
• Reducing thatch with correct amounts of fertilizers and ensuring the correct cultural programs are in place to match the nutrient inputs.

Typically courses on the program have noticeably firmer, smoother and faster greens. Courses using Greenway’s management program have been able to mow at extremely low cutting heights without any adverse affects to the putting surfaces. Top-dressing is the key to the development of what Greenway calls the cutting base. Once this base is achieved the surface can be mowed very low without causing damage to the crown of the plant. Again the height of cut will depend on a number of factors and surface objectives.

An excellent playing surface can be produced without overly stressing the surface. Once you achieve optimal growth rates at the crown, verti-cutting, double cutting and daily mowing are no longer necessary. Effective savings can be made when the Greenway system is used. Greenway has been able to reduce expenses and improve profitability for our properties.

Cool Season Grass Greens - Where cool season grasses can be maintained for use on greens, Greenway recommends the use of Bent grasses for the putting surfaces. Water is becoming more limited and in many cases the quality of water is deteriorating. Bent grasses are more tolerant to poor water quality than annual Blue grass (poa annua) and also require less chemical inputs that can translate into significant savings. Bent grasses also have greater environmental benefits while reducing the chemical exposure to the maintenance staff and golfers due to the reduced amount of pesticides required to maintain superior quality. Greenway’s maintenance program recognizes that Bent grasses are “acid loving” plants like azalea’s and blue berries. Greenway is an industry leader in Bent grass management.

Greenway has also developed maintenance programs that minimize surface disruption. Since Bent grasses are naturally slow growing, excessive or ill timed verti-cutting, core aerification and other surface preparations can allow annual blue grass to invade into Bent grass greens.

Understanding the turf grassing growing system is critical to maintaining the desired species. Greenway’s program places a high emphasis on aeration using small or needle tines to ensure efficient means for maintaining positive atmospheric gas exchange and water movement within the growing medium. Roots will only grow to the depth that we can put oxygen. So if deep needle tinning is undertaken to 7-8 inches we can maintain roots to that depth. If the root zone is prone to compaction then appropriate action is taken with hollow tine aeration equipment.

Top-dressing, low mowing heights, brushing, light verti-cutting and nitrogen applications that do not promote excessive growth can allow a reduction in frequency of hollow tine coring on Bent grass greens. Greenway has successfully shown that mature Bent grass greens can be maintained at a low height of cut with no impact to root depth.

The process for improving putting surfaces on Bent grass greens - Greenway has been highly successful in improving the putting surfaces back to Bent grass, through the use of specific nutrients, amendments and maintenance procedures. This can be done in a very slow and controlled manner with virtually no impact to the surface quality. Usually within two to three years, Greenway can successfully convert greens that are predominately Annual blue grass (poa) to predominately Bent grass. Noticeable improvements will be realized within a few months and continuing monthly thereafter.  Bent grass provides clubs with significant cost savings and superior playing surfaces. Greenway client Stevinson Ranch has not applied a fungicide to the greens in the past six years. The process has been well received by the players of these clubs and they have only noticed the greens are smoother, firmer and more enjoyable to play on.

Golfers always enjoy holing putts and watching their ball track on-line into the hole on smooth greens. Greenway believes that a firmer putting green provides a higher quality-putting surface. Fast putting surfaces places a higher degree of importance on accuracy and shot making. Placement of the shot into the green requires the player to position the ball to the low side of the pin, to ensure an uphill putt. To achieve this it requires greater accuracy and positioning from tee to green. Putting greens are intended to be playing surfaces, not landing zones.

Warm Season Grass Greens - Greenway has achieved outstanding results with warm season turf grasses and has been able to reduce chemical inputs while lowering the cost of maintenance on Bermuda, ultra Bermuda and Paspalum putting greens. Greenway has developed some specialized attachments that are used to assist in the improvement of putting green quality. A wire brush attachment is used to nearly eliminate grain on warm season grass putting surfaces. Warm season turf grasses require hollow tine aeration and other surface preparations to maintain a high quality, unlike Bent grass. Bent grasses and fescues are the only turf grasses that can sustain reduced hollow tine aeration.

Greenway’s methods for maintaining warm season grass species focuses on the implementation of the proper nutritional and cultural practices that may vary considerably from the similar maintenance of cool season grasses.

Research Studies Backing the Greenway Program… Greenway bases its specialized programs on research and nearly three decades of field application. For instance Greenway uses proven principles that have been well documented at universities like Washington State and Bingley Turf Research Institute in the UK. Plus many more articles that have been covered in publications such as Practical Greenkeeping (Author Jim Authur), Greenkeeping in South Africa (Dr C.M Murray DSO), Turf for Golf Courses (Piper and Oakley), and The Complete Golf Course Turf & Design (Claude Crockford). These are just a few of the research and reference materials that support the use of acid based nutrition to successfully manage Bent grasses. Greenway does not recommend trying to change the profile pH but rather through the use of amendments and fertilizers have an acid reaction to the surface of the root zone.

More Info & Client References - We welcome your interest in Greenway Golf and the Greenway Turf Management Program… We would be happy to arrange a tour of some of our client properties or to put you in touch with our clients to learn more about their experiences with our company and programs. To learn more please contact Greenway Golf COO, Ken Campbell at (512) 686-1330 or CEO George Kelley at (209) 664-6400.