Pest management, irrigation, weed prevention… it’s what farmers have to think about every day. It’s also what golf course managers are dealing with on a daily basis.
University Ridge Golf Course in Verona is the home of UW-Madison’s golf and cross country teams that spans about 450 acres. And it runs up against the O.J. Noer Turfgrass Research and Education Facility. Golf Course Superintendent Phil Davidson oversees that land and the roughly 35 people who have a role in maintenance.
He works with four varieties of grasses on the course that he monitors for playability, meaning they can withstand drought, snow mold, and high traffic, for example. These varieties are dense and can be cut as short as the width of two credit cards.
Davidson manages the greens with fungicide to mitigate dollar spot, for example. He also has to watch for grubs, which feed on grass roots, skunks, and racoons. He also has to manage the greens for crabgrass and dandelions, which are primarily an asthetic issue.
While wildlife is an enjoyable part of the game of golf, too many creatures can pose an issue. Mole traps come in handy. And Davidson jokes that University Ridge is lucky that it doesn’t have a goose problem.
Yes, they are irrigating in this drought. Thousands of pipes are under these greens. A golf course irrigation system for 18 holes goes for more than $2 million, Davidson says. But the dry weather is ideal for tournaments. Players tend to like a firm course for fast play.
American Family PGA Tournament
The Am Fam PGA Tour was a high profile event for University Ridge. And it involves a lot of extra people and structures. Davidson says the drought and firm course helped mitigate traffic damage on the course during setup and takedown.
When it comes to foot traffic and cart traffic, blockades, such as ropes and stakes, help keep people from going over the same spots over and over again. Davidson also cuts new holes every day on the green.
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