Lawrence, Kan. – Golf course superintendents offered their opinions about how to speed up play through the sixth annual 2004 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Leadership Survey. The computer-based survey questioned more than 900 superintendents about trends in golf and golf course management.
The respondents cited shortening of rough (38 percent), slowing of greens (26 percent) and widening of fairways (14 percent) as the most effective ways to speed up play. When asked the same question in 1999, 14 percent said slowing green speed would help speed up play.
Superintendents were asked what golf course management practice has had the most positive impact on the environment. Fifty-five percent said an increase of overall environmental awareness and knowledge was the biggest contributor. Improved irrigation techniques and technologies was second at 18 percent. When asked the same question four years ago, 1 percent said irrigation techniques had the biggest impact.
Water, its quantity and quality, figured prominently on the minds of the superintendents. The survey found superintendents are doing more with less when it comes to irrigation. Fifty-four percent of superintendents are using less water on their golf courses today than they were 10 years ago; 27 percent are using more. Of those using less water, almost half (39 percent) are using 1 percent to 25 percent less water than they were 10 years ago, and 14 percent said they are using between 26 percent and 50 percent less water than a decade ago.
Superintendents have produced improved playing surfaces partly because researchers have developed turfgrass varieties that withstand weather, traffic and disease better, and require less water and labor and fewer plant protectants. These include seeded Bermudagrass, new bentgrass and seashore paspalum. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they’ve used some variety of new turfgrasses. Thirty-three percent said they’ve used them in limited areas, while a quarter of those polled said they’ve used them in several locations, including greens. Five percent said they’ve used them everywhere on their course.
While half of those surveyed believe the advances in technology are somewhat bad or very bad for the game, 28 percent said the maintenance of their course has changed to compensate for the increased distance. When asked the same question in 1999, only 18 percent said they changed their course to compensate.