Dr. Hurley is known as the bentgrassdoctor and has been breeding Improved bentgrasses since 1982 to Include the advanced generation varieties 007, 777 and 007XL.
These advanced generation bentgrasses have the greatest opportunity for success in cool season climates for grassing greens, tees and fairways.
Now designated as a class of "Super BentsTM" these varieties will produce a turf showing greater disease resistance / lower fungicide use, finer leaves, a denser turf that is more tolerant to close mowing.
Within the "Super BentTM" class are the varieties 007, 777, 007XL -- as well as MacKenzie, Flagstick and Tyee.
For "Super BentTM" information contact https://sroseed.com/super-bents
For "Super BentTM" variety qualities contact
https://www.sroseed.com/find-a-product/bentgrass
ph: 570-350-8906
hurlrich
A growing trend in cool season greens management is "total renovation of Poa / bent greens" and re-establishing with one of the...
(007, 777, 007XL, Flagstick, McKenzie or Tyee bentgrass).
For "Super BentTM" information contact https://sroseed.com/super-bents
For "Super BentTM" variety qualities contact
https://www.sroseed.com/find-a-product/bentgrass
Additionally, we are seeing more total course renovations with re grassing of greens, tees and fairways and re establishing with a new
Below are some "case study" examples showing recent projects:
The Ledges Golf Club in Birmingham, AL seeded a new 10,000 square foot trial green with 007XL bentgrass.
At 1,582 feet, the highest point in Huntsville, The Ledges offers an 18-hole championship golf course like no other in Alabama. The original 20+ year old greens were seeded to the A-1 bentgrass variety. At this time the Ledges is looking to renovated and re-grass all greens in 2023 or 2024.
With the 007XL bentgrass trial green established members will see how the 007XL provides a "state of the art" putting surface. 007XL is heat tolerant and disease resistant making it the ideal choice for a transition climate golf course putting surfaces.
In October of 2021 a 10,000 square foot trial green was established and seeded to 007XL creeping bentgrass. This new green opened for play in April 2022 at a .120 height of cut.
The award winning Ledges course was designed by Hurdzan/Fry GCD, Inc., and first opened in 2000. The goal of The Ledges developers was to preserve the mountain’s natural beauty while creating a world-class golf course.
The Lido Golf Course, one of the greatest golf courses ever designed, a legend of the past, to be recreated at Sand Valley, WI -- opening spring of 2023.
The greens will feature a bentgrass seed blend of 65% 007 with 35% Flagstick -- these two "Super Bents" will provide the highest quality putting surfaces.
The fairways will be seeded to an all fine fescue turf to include slender creeping red, creeping red, Chewings and hard fescues -- all Seed Research of Oregon improved varieties.
Charles Blair Macdonald was the lead architect, with Seth Raynor acting as the chief engineer. Together, they produced a par 72 masterpiece -- some say one of the finest courses in the world, on par with Pine Valley, Cypress Point, and Shinnecock.
The mystique of the original Lido design, as located on New York's Long Island and originally opened in 1918, will live again. The Lido membership prospered through the 1920s, but the club struggled through the depression years of the 1930s before closing in 1942. After World War II this classic was sold off to developers for housing.
Today, with the vision of developers Michael and Chris Keiser, of Sand Valley Golf Resort, along with golf architect Tom Doak, the Lido will live again -- this time in central Wisconsin. "We are restoring the Lido," said Michael Keiser. "We are rebuilding it as it originally was." The expectation is the new Lido golf design at Sand Valley, Wisconsin, will be the most talked about new golf project for 2023.
Rain Dance National Golf Club, CO features 007XL for seeding greens -- Summer / Fall 2021.
Located in Windsor, Colorado this dramatic landscape scene for building a golf course features fine fescues and 007XL bentgrass greens. Harrison Minchew teamed up with Fred Funk, the famed PGA Tour Player, to design an inspiring golf course. Scheduled opening date for play, July 2022.
Photo: 007XL greens were seeded at the Rain Dance National Golf Club in the summer / fall of 2021.
Lost Rail Golf Club, Omaha, NE fairways and tees were seeded to 100% 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass.
The Lost Rail golf course was designed by Omaha native Scott Hoffman and built by Landscapes Unlimited. Opening for member play in 2022.
From the Lost Rial Golf clubhouse ,looking west, you can see the Elkhorn and Platte Rivers and native grasslands. Lost Rail is a small membership club that features only golf with no houses between holes with the next tee shot a short walk from the previous green.
The River Bend Club, Great Falls, VA seeds a new 14,000 square foot putting green using 007XL bentgrass.
Luke Fisher, Golf Course Superintendent selected the new 007XL for seeding his new putting green -- September of 2021.
For historical reference all greens and fairways at the River Bend club were seeded / sodded ot 007 bentgrass in the year 2010 when a total course renovation was completed. River Bend has the reputation as one of the finest manicured golf courses in the Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia area.
Photo above: This new putting green was seeded with 007XL bentgass on September 7 -- the picture taken on October 13, 2021. This 007XL green is now 36 days old and being cut at .230 of an inch.
Photo bellow: The 007XL putting greens fully mature in June 2022. The 007XL bentgrass is fine leaved, dense and uniform.
Bent Tree GC, Dallas, TX seeded 777 bentgrass in June and opened a new putting green for play sixteen weeks after seeding.
Blake Cain, Golf Course Superintendent, selected 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass for seeding his new putting green next to the new 39 million dollar clubhouse, completed September 2021.
The 777 bentgrass putting green was opened for play 16 weeks after seeding on June 15, 2021. The picture below was taken on October 14, 2021.
Seven Oaks Country Club, Bakersfield, CA. Greens renovation project to seed 007XL-- On the Island (West) nine holes.
007XL was seeded in October of 2021 on nine greens and opened for members play in mid March, 2022.
Tom Lipscomb, Golf Course Superintendent, has selected 007XL bentgrass to seed the Island Nine greens in the fall months of 2021.
Photo below: Impressive 007XL root system approximately six months after seeding. Picuture taken on April 28, 2022.
This 27 hole facility already has 18 greens seeded to the 007 / 777 bentgrass seed blend.
Photo below: A March 2, 2022 view of a 20 week old 007XL bentgrass green that was seeded in mid October 2021. The current cutting height is .110 inch.
Photo below: March 11, 2022, 007XL ready for opening day set for March 15, 2022 -- 20 weeks after seeding.
Photo below: 007XL at Seven Oaks GC, CA -- A fine, dense and uniform putting surface.
Headwater Golf Club, Cashiers, NC has impressive results with 777 bentgrass.
Scott Comlin, Golf Course Superintent, seeded a new practice green with 777 bentgrass in April, 2021. In August 2021 Scott reported "What is most impressive to me is that it (777 bentgrass) acts like a well established green."
Photo: 777 bentgrass green -- uniform, fine leaved and dense.
Scott when on to say, "Other varieties seem to be very high maintenance the first courple of years. Not this (777)."
Also noted by Scott, "Fertility input has been low and it seems to react well to all the cultural processes we do to it. It handles high rainfall amounts very well also. So far Ilike this variety (777) very much."
Waynesville Inn and Golf Resort, North Carolina to receive a Bobby Weed renovation starting in the fall of 2021.
Raines, one of the Southeast's premier hospitality management and development groups has announced the acquisition of the Waynesville Inn Golf Resort.
The 27 hole golf course was originally designed by golf architect Donald Ross. Bobby Weed Golf Design will fully renovate the golf course, which will include modifying the course to a traditional 18 holes, while preserving the history of the original Donald Ross design.
The plan is to seed the new greens with 007XL bentgrass, tees and fairways with a 007 777 seed blend. Seeding is planned for the spring and early summer of 2022.
Photo: Five week old 007XL green with a seeding date of April 21, 2022.
The Camargo Club, Cincinnati, OH is planning to resurface all greens with 007XL bentgrass -- fall 2022.
The Camargo golf course design is a Seth Raynor masterpice designed in 1927. The golf course is noted for its large green sites.
Doug Norwell, Golf Course Superintendent, has a plan to resurface all greens in the fall of 2022 using custom grown 007XL sod.
Photo above: On July 5, 2021 007XL was seeded at the Colin Boyd turf farm in western PA for use at Camargo in 2022 -- photo above was taken 11 weeks after seeding in September 2021. This plan will allow for sodding in the fall months of 2022 with the club reopering in the spring 2023 for member play.
Photo below: The Camagro 007XL bentgrass nursery as it looked the end of June 2022.
Photo below: How impressive is this 007XL nursery at the Camagro Golf Club, June 2022. What was observed is a 007XL turf that was fine textured, dense and uniform.
Wasatch Peaks Ranch GC, Morgan, Utah, will be constructed during the 2022 - 2023 seasons.
The Wasatch Peaks Ranch sits on 12,000 + acres, is located 35 miles north of Salt Lake City, is a new private mountain resort development in Utah that will be open to members for skiing, riding, mountain biking, fishing and golf.
Under construction is a Tom Fazio designed golf course that will feature 007XL bentgrass greens along with Flagstick / MacDonald bentgrass fairways and tees. The 007XL bentgrass variety was bred to perform well at the lowest height of cut -- down to .100 inch.
Barton Hills CC total fairway conversion to 007XL bentgrass in 2022.
Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan the Barton Hills CC golf course is planning a total fairway conversion scheduled for August 2022 and reseeding all fairways with 007XL bentgrass.
University turf trials at Rutgers University has rated highly the 007XL bentgrass for use on fairways and tees as well as green. The new fairways seeded to 007XL, once established, is expected to save 50% on fungicide cost.
Black Desert Resort Golf Course, St. George, Utah, seeded greens to 007XL bentgass and fairways and tees with the Dominator seed blend (007 / 777 bent varieties).
Photo: Delivery turck filled with 007XL bent for seeding the greens and Dominator bentgrass seed blend (007/777) for seeding fairways and tees.
Black Desert is designed by Tom Weiskopf, the legendary pro grolfer, he has designed a 7,200 yard course routed through the land's famed black lava rocks to create a dramatic desert canvas.
Photo: Two weeks after seeding 007XL bentgrass on greens and Dominator (007 / 777 bents) on tees and fairways, May 2022.
Located in St. George Utah this resort project is scheduled for 2022 with the seeding of 007XL greens. The 007XL bent is highly rated for traffic tolerance, disease resistance and overall turf performance.
Knollwood CC total fairway to 007XL bentgrass in 2022.
Knollwood CC is a H.S. Colt and C.H. Alison design, founded in 1924 and located on 240 acres in Lake Forest, IL. Knollwood is one of the premier country clubs in Illinois.
For the 2022 season a total fairway grass conversion is scheduled for August. This will be a minimal disturbance regrassing as all of the current fairway grasses will be killed in August then re-seeded with 100% 007XL bentgrass. The expectations are the new grass will have 100% cover by mid October.
Photo: 007XL fairway 14 days after seeding seeding, August 2022.
Once totally established the fairways seeded to 007XL should save 50% on fungicide sprays. 007XL is a "state of the art" bentgrass developed at Rutgers University and specifically designed to provide the finest qualtiy playing surfaces for greens, fairways and tees.
The Pine Lake Country Club, West Bloomfield, Michigan, is schedule for a total course renovation in 2022.
Pine Lake was founded in 1902 featuring a Willie Park Jr design. Scheduled for 2022 is a course renovation planned under the direction of Drew Rogers, Golf Course Architect.
The new greens will be seeded with 007XL bentgrass and fairways / tees to a mix of Flagstick / MacDonald. These "state of the art" bentgrass varieties will produce the highest quality playing surfaces.
Limestone Springs GC has converted its greens to 007XL bentgrass.
The Limestone Springs golf course, located in Oneonta, Alabama, is undergoing a total greens resurfacing and seeding with 007XL bentgrass -- December of 2022 seeding.
Photo April 2022: 007XL seeded in December 2021.
The 007XL bentgrass is rated as the No. 1 variety for greens use over the four year period, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 at Rutgers University. The 007XL variety is heat tolerant and will provide a fine, dense and uniform putting surface.
Photo: Late June 2022 on opening day at Limestone Springs Golf Club, near Birmingham, AL. 007XL bentgrass greens seeded in December 2021 and opened for play 28 weeks after seeding.
The Bella Ridge GC, Johnstown, Colorado, will seed 007XL on the greens.
Art Schaupeter, Golf Course Architect, has this new course under construction in 2022 that will feature 007XL bentgrass greens. The 007XL bentgrass will produce tournament quality greens at a lower maintenance cost compared to older bent varieties.
The Inn at St. Johns will renovate the greens and establish 007XL bentgrass in 2022.
Located in Plymouth, Michigan the Inn at St. Johns will undergo a greens renovation under the direction of Ray Hearn Golf Course Architect. Selected for seeding is the 007XL bentgrass for is No. 1 rating and it ability to produce a fine, dense and uniform turf.
The Inn at St. Johns golf course will be transformed from a 27 hole to a Championship 18 hole Par 72 7007 yard golf course and adding a par 3 course and a natural grass putting course. Opening in 2023.
San Juan Oaks GC, Holister, California, is under renovation in 2022.
Gene Bates, Golf Course Architect, is supervising a complete re-grassing of San Juan Oaks golf club in 2022. The new greens will be seeded to 007XL bentgrass. 007XL is an advanced generation variety of the highest quality -- fine textured, dense, uniform and heat tolerant.
Union League National Golf Club, Swainton, NJ is under construction for a total course renovation featuring 007 greens and 007 fairways -- 2020 - 2021.
Scott Bordner, Golf Course Superintendent, selected 007 bentgrass to be established on his new greens and fairways.
Locted at the "South Jersey Shore" with close proximity to Cape May Court House and Atlantic City this beautiful layout is now recognized as one of the finest 27 hole facilities in New Jersey.
The 27 hole golf course, formerly named "Sand Barrens," was purchased by the Union League of Philadelpia that now owns and operates five properties -- within driving distance of Philadelphia.
Under the direction of the Golf Architect Dana Fry all three nines are receiving a total course renovation -- at this time (October 2021) two of the three nines have been completed.
Lianerch Golf Club, Haevertown, near Philadelphis, PA - Brian Schneider (Tom Doak) renovation in 2019 and 2020.
Renovation work included redesigned green compleses. The greens needed to be expanded to find more pinnable locations, as the greens were 100 years old and had shrunk over time -- said Brendan Dyrne, golf course superintendent at Lianerch. The course renovation and regrassing of greens included selecting the 007 bentgrass variety. New fairway areas and tees were seeded or sodded with 007 bentgrass.
Whisper Rock Golf Club, Lower Course Scottsdale, AZ is planning a greens renovation for September 2021.
Ryan Maher, Director of Agronomy, is planning upgrades on the Lower Course to include a few green and bunker re-designs and irrigaiton upgrades. The greens will be seeded to 100% 007 bentgrass in early September 2021.
Old Toccoa Farm, GA, has 007 greens.
Golf Digest's #8 Best New Course, 2020.
Located in the mountains of north Georga is a very special golf and river community. The golf course was designed by Dan Proctor, Dave Axland and Bunker Hill. 007 bentgrass was selected for seeding the greens with Zoysia fairways.
Oak Tree National Golf Club, Edmond, OK is targeting a renovation construction winter / spring 2021 - 2022.
Zach London, Golf Course Superintendent, "The renovation will include 18 holes, a putting green, and nursery." The greens will be seeded to 100% 007 bentgrass.
Shady Oaks Country Club, Fort Worth, TX has 777 (Triple Seven) greens - 2020.
In 2019 the Shady Oaks golf course undertook a total course renovation under the direction of the Australian golf architect firm of Ogilvy, Cocking and Mead. Brent Dootlittle, golf course superintendent at Shady Oaks, selected 777 bentgrass for seeding all greens.
Photo: Holes No. 9 and 18 are a double green seeded to 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass.
Park Mammoth Golf Course, Park City, KY. Colton Craig -- Golf Course Architect is designing a new course to feature 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass greens --- summer 2020.
Photo: 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass seeded on No. 9 green, September 2021.
Located approximately 30 minutes from BowlingGreen, KY the Park Mammoth GC is an older golf course that will be totally renovated by Goss Golf Design -- Colton Craig.
The plan was to establish greens with 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass, seed Tahoma Bermudagrass on the fairways and tees and tall fescue / broom sedge seeded to the native areas.
When course superintendent Andrew Meffert is asked how the new greens are progressing this was how he responded. "I absolutely love this variety (777 bentgrass). We've been able to push 7-8 inch roots, and it has been very drought tolerant. I would definitely recommend to others."
Photo: Close up of a 777 bentgrass green displaying how fine leaved, uniform and dense this variety is.
Photo: 777 bentgrass with 7-8 inch roots at the end of a dry hot summer -- September 2021.
The Erin Hills Golf Club, WI, is converting the fine fescue fairways to 007 / Flagstick creeping bentgrass -- July 2020.
Zach Reineking, Director of Course Maintenance, is supervising the conversion of the fine fescue fairways to 007 / Flagstick creeping bentgrass in July of 2020.
Erin Hills is a fescue fairway golf course that, in the last 15 years, has transitioned to a colleague of grass to include fescue, perennial rye, Poa annua and some bentgrass.
Management will only allow a two week window for the course to be closed so a "minimal disruption plan" has been devised to accomplish the introduction of 007 / Flagstick bentgrasses into the fairways -- a more conventional fairway conversion with a non selective herbicides (Round Up) will not be used.
The plan is a "supress and scalp the existing fairway turf" by using a PGR -- Paclobutrazol, then scalp the current fairways down to .200 of an inch, vertically mow in two directons, fairways cleaned and mowed to remove all excess material.
Apply, a second applicaton of a PGR -- Primo Maxx and then seed 007 / Flagstick bentgrass with a spiker / seeder with brushes. With this approach the bentgrass will germinate in 3 to 5 days and by late summer the fairways are expected to be 100% filled in -- there may be a minor percentage of the old fine fescues, rye and Poa that remains in the new 007 / Flagstick fairways.
Photo: This picture shows the new creeping bentgras seedlings growing in the fescue fairways.
Belmont Golf Club, Richmond, VA, Four million dollar renovation, summer 2020 -- To inlucde new 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass greens.
Photo above: Belmont Golf Club, 777 bentgrass greens.
This century old 1916 W.A. Tillinghast designed and renovated by Donald Ross golf course will be transformed by the First Tee of Greater Richmond from the current 18 holes into a six-hole short course and a 12-hole course from the original design from 1916. This new facility will be an affordable, includsive public golf facility that is open to all. The renovation will retain Bermudagrass fairways but will totally rebuid the greens and seed to 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass. The 777 bentgrass is known for excellent heat tolerance while producing a "state of the art" playing surface for putting.
Photo above: Belmont Golf Club, 777 bentgrass greens.
Oakland Hills Country Club - South Course total renovation in 2020. The new turf surfaces will feature 007, 777 and Flagstick bentgrasses.
Golf Course architect Gil Hanse will direct the total course renovation. On course supervision and grow in for the renovation will be the responsibility of Phil Cuffare, Director of Agronomy at Oakland Hills.
The new greens were seeded to a blend that includes both 007 and 777 bentgrass. The fairways and tees were seeded to a seed blend of 007 and Flagstick bentgrasses. These bentgrass varieties are proven "state of the art" bentgrass varieties well adapted to tournament golf conditioning.
Photo: Early November 2020 picture after a summer seeding of a Oakland Hills green and approach. When asked how are things, Phil responded, "Greens are spectatular."
Oakland Hills has hosted several high-profile events over the years, including six U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships and the Ryder Cup in 2004. The U.S. Amateur took place there in 2016.
In September 2021 Phil offered the following comment when asked, "How are the new greens, fairways and tees?" Answer, "All good. Great results. Great performance."
The South Course, nicknamed "The Monster" for its extended length, will be brought back to the original design concepts -- this Donald Ross-designed course was built in 1918. Club members can expect expanded greens surfaced with 007 / 777 bentgrasses on greens and 007 and Flagstick bents on tees and fairways. The project also calls for new bunkers, and tree and foliage removal. The championship tees will also be expanded to more than 7,500 yards.
Total greens renovation at the North Shore CC, Glenview, IL - fall 2018.
Dan Dinelli, Golf Course Superintendent, researched extensively with "on site" bentgrass variety trials for use with his selection criteria for regrassing greens at North Shore CC. Dan identified 007, Flagstick and McKenzie to be seeded as a three way seed blend on his new greens -- seeded in the fall of 2018. Dan selected these three varieties for seeding his greens based on performance and compatibility of characteristics.
Baltimore Country Club has converted the West Course fairways from ryegrass to 007 bentgrass - summer 2019.
Tim Kennelly, Head Greenkeeper, reported on the West Course fairways converted from ryegrass to creeping bentgrass in late August 2019. Regrassing the West Course fairways began when the course closed for play on August 8th and the ryegrass fairways were killed with Round Up herbicide. The fairways were seeded to the bentgrass seed blend consisting of 75% 007 with 25% SR1150.
The motivation for converting the West Course fairways from ryegrass to bentgrass was, first, to save a significant amount of money on fungicide use, and second, for consistency of the playing surfaces.
This West Course regrassing follows the highly successful selection of 007 bentgrass for regrassing greens and fairways on the famed East course in the summer of 2014.
Now, all of the fairways on both the East and West courses will have 007 bentgrass.
Photo below: No. 12 West Course 49 days after seeding with 007 / SR 1150 bentgrass.
The Country Club of Virginia, James River Course, Richmond, VA will have new 777 greens in 2020.
Christian Sain, Golf Course Maintenance Director, has selected 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass for sodding all of the greens on the James River Course starting October 25, 2019.
Christian reported, "We have a PGA Tour Champions event scheduled for October 18 - 20. Immediately after this Dominion Energy Charity Classic is completed we will start the greens renovation. This will consist of stripping all greens and resurfacing with 777 sod. The 777 turf is being custom grown at the Oakwood Sod Farm, a Delmarva sod producer, in Maryland on the Eastern Shore." After returfing the greens in the fall of 2019 the golf course is scheduled to reopen for members play in late May 2020.
The Triple Seven bentgrass has tested to have excellent heat tolerance and was bred to be maintained at a low mowing height on greens.
Photo below: Returfing greens with sod of 777 bentgrass, all greens will be returfed from late October through the month of November 2019.
Photo below: Firming up the new 777 bentgrass sod over plywood.
Photo below: Sand topdressing after sodding and brushing the sand into the new 777 bentgrass turf surface.
Photo below: Hand watering a new 777 sodded bentgrass green - early November 2019. Note: The spectator stands are still in place after the Champions Tour event the third week of October. The returfing of the greens starting the day after the Champions event was completed.
The Summit Club, Henderson, NV, a Tom Fazio Design, hosted the CJ Cup on the PGA Golf Tour (October 2021) on greens seeded to a 007 / Tyee bentgrass seed blend.
The greens at the Summit Club were seeded to a bentgrass blend consisting of 007 / Tyee seed -- as selected by the golf course supeintendent Scott Lewis.
Photo: The Summit Club with 007 / Tyee bentgrass greens.
Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club has new 007 bentgrass greens - 2019.
The Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club is one of the finest golf courses in Oklahoma and is widely respected as a clasic Perry Maxwell golf course design.
Nathan Neumann, Golf Course Superintendent, selected 007 for seeding greens on this course restoration project that will bring back many of the original Perry Maxwell features.
Nathan, with first hand experience on how to manage 007 bentgrass, selected 007 as he knows this variety can take the summer heat and will mantain its color during the cold of winter.
The new 007 greens were seeded in mid August 2019. The photo below was taken on November 18, 2019 eleven weeks after seeding. Note the dormant Bermudagrass turf in the background and how the new 007 bentgrass green is still growing and providing a bright green color in November.
The November 18, 2019 photo below is a close up of the eleven week old 007 bentgrass green mown at .160 inch, Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club.
Sand Valley Golf Resort, located in the heartland of Wisconsin, features fine fescue fairways and 007 / SR1119 bentgrass greens.
The Sand Valley Golf Resort has three courses, a Top 100 Golf Destination, and a location with massive, exposed sand dunes and where the fescue fairways and roughs play firm and fast.
Located on 1700 acres of vast tumbling 14,000 year old sand dunes featuring unique dunes scape native and natural vegetation. Sand Valley brings the playing style of a Scottish links to the heartland of America located in Nekoosa, Wisconsin.
Superintendent Bob Duhm and Dr. Leah Brilman, Seed Research of Oregon, designed a custom mix of fine fescues varieties to include; Silhouette and SR5130 Chewings, Shoreline slender and Ruddy strong creeping red and SR3150 and Eureka II hard fescues.
The greens were seeded with a 50 / 50 % of 007 and SR119 creeping bentgrass.
The Sand Valley course opened for play in May 2017 and was designed by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw. Voted the best new course in 2017.
The Sand Box - an impressive short course, also opened for play in May 2017 and again was designed by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw. Voted the best new short course in 2018.
The Mammoth Dunes course opened in 2018, was designed by David McLay Kidd. Voted the best new course in 2018
Merion Golf Club East Course reopens after a total course renovation under the direction of Architect Gil Hanse - Summer 2019.
After being closed for over a year the famed Merion Golf Club East Course was reopened for play on June 20, 2019. Superintendent Paul Latshaw selected the following bentgrases for seeding the greens, tees and fairways.
The new putting surfaces on all greens were seeded to a creeping bentgrass blend consisting of 60% 007, 20% Piranha and 20% L93XD. The fairways and tees were seeded to 50% 007, 25% Luminary and 25% Barracuda. Additionally, because of erosion concerns fairways on Holes No. 11 and 12 were sodded to 100% 007 bentgrass.
American Dunes Golf Club, located on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan - Scheduled to open 9 holes in 2020 and the other 9 in 2021 - with 777 greens and Flagstick bentgrass tees and fairways.
The 50 plus year old Grand Haven Golf Club is currently receiving a total course renovation as a result of Jack Nicklaus and his design company donating their professional services for this project. The Grand Haven Golf Club is the birthplace of the Folds of Honor program that provides scholarships to spouses and children of fallen or wounded service members.
The newly renovated golf course will be renamed American Dunes Golf Club and used as a fundraising tool to support the scholarship program through a series of tournaments held in conjunction with the upcoming Patriot Golf Day. To date (2019), the Folds of honor program has awarded more than $130 million in scholarships.
Shaping of the renovated golf course is nearly completed (summer of 2019) and ready for seeding 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass on the greens and Flagstick bentgrass on the tees and fairways.
The Club at Olde Stone, Bowling Green, KY, added a nine hole par 3 course and putting practice facility - New 777 greens opened for members play in September 2019.
Named "The Sinkhole" this impressive 9 hole par 3 short course and large 24,000 square foot putting green - planned to be set up as a putting course.
Course Superintendent Wyatt Warfel supervised construction of the project that was designed by golf course architect Jerry Lemmons, who is also a member of Olde Stone.
All greens surfaces were seeded to 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass in late April - early May 2019. This facility opened for members play in September 2019.
The plan is for "The Sinkhole" be maintained at the same world class conditions as the championship course at Olde Stone.
Above photo: Early July 2019 picture of a nine week old 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass green at Olde Stone - The Sinkhole.
Photo below: Close up of nine week old 777 bentgrass green at Olde Stone.
Chiricahua golf course at Desert Mountain, AZ has new bentgrass greens - 2019.
During the early summer of 2019 the greens at Chiricahua were renovated and regrassed by seeding to a combination of 007 and MacKenzie bentgrasses.
Northwood Club, Dallas, TX has new 007 greens.
A Trip Davis Golf Architect renovation / redesign has been recognized as the Best Country Club in Dallas / Forth Worth, TX (2019). The new greens were seeded to 007 bentgrass.
Desert Mountain Renegade fairways to be converted from Bermuda to creeping bentgrass in September 2018
Shawn Emerson Directory of Agronomy for the Desert Mountain courses in Scottsdale, AZ and Course Superintendent Mike Gracie have decided to convert the Bermudagrass fairways on the Renegade course to creeping bentgrass.
Shaun states, "Our members expect the fairways to be green during the winter season and bentgrass is a better option compared to winter overseeding with ryegrass."
A blend consisting of 75% 007 and 25% MacKenzie creeping bentgrass was seeded on the fairways in September 2018. The bentgrass germinated in 4 - 7 days and has matured nicely developing 7 - 12 inch roots by early December 2018.
Photo above: Bill Dunn (L) of Seed Research of Oregon and Mike Gracie (R) course superintendent on the Renegade course discuss the bentgrass fairway renovation process.
Desert Mountain Renegade Greens were renovated in 2018 / 2019 and seeded with 75% 007 and 25% Mackenzie creeping bentgrass - Scottsdale, AZ.
Photo below: The picture was taken September 8, 2019 on the Renegade GC at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ after a HOT HOT summer in 2019 with minimal monsoon rains. Grow-in superintendent Mike Gracie posted this photo on Twitter - "Look at these roots."
The Minikahda Club, Minneapolis, MN 2018 Greens and fairway renovation project.
Founded in 1898, Minikahda is the oldest country club west of the Mississippi river and a premier club in the region.
During late summer Jeff Johnson, golf course superintendent, is scheduled to renovate and regrass greens and fairways, The golf course will be closed for member play in July 23, 2018 with greens and fairways renovations starting immediately as reseeding of the surfaces must be accomplished by the end of August.The Minikahda Club is scheduled to reopen for play in June 2019.
The planned process is for the greens to be stripped of turf, the existing soil tilled then apply Basamid to fumigate the soil prior to seeding 007 bentgrass at the rate of 1.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet the third week of August. Fairways will be seeded to a combination of 007 / 1150 bentgrass at the rate of 65 pounds per acre.
Photo below: 007 green on June 1, 2019. Course to open for Members play on June 21, 2019.
Arcadian Bluffs New South Golf Course, Michigan. Opening for play August 1, 2018.
Greens, Fairways and Tees seeded with 007 bentgrass.
The Arcadian Bluffs golf resort on the shores of Lake Michigan has been recognized for being highly successful with attracting golfers from great distances to stay in the lodge and enjoy the acclaimed "The Bluffs" golf course.
Following this success a 310 acre site has been acquired to design and built a second golf course.This new golf course will be called Arcadian Bluffs "The South Course" and is located 1.5 miles from the lodge.
The golf course architect selected for creating "The South Course" is a Dana Fry golf course design project.
Jim Bluck, golf course superintendent, advised that Dana "has mentioned a number of times that this grow-in happened faster than any other project he has been involved in." Jim reported "the 007 fairways are phenomenal in terms of the density and how upright the turf is."
Further, Jim made this comment, "I am so happy with my grassing choice and I am looking forward to learning more about the management of this variety."
The South course will open for play on August 1, 2018.
Hudson National Golf Club, Croton on the Hudson, NY
Ryan Oliver, golf course superintendent, upon completion of a new and extensive practice facility installed a large 777 (Triple Seven) bentgrass nursery to be used for rebuilding and grassing two greens on the golf course - at some point in the near future.
The photo below is 777 bentgrass 24 days after a June 2018 seeding date.
The photo below was taken in October 2018 sixteen weeks after seeding 777 (triple seven) bentgrass. Mowing height of 2.8 mm (.110 inch).
Torrey Pines North Course total renovation is well received, San Diego, CA
The North Course received a total renovation in 2016 under the direction of Tom Weiskopf, golf course architect. As a part of the golf course renovation the North greens were totally rebuilt and seeded to 007 / Tyee bentgrasses. During the last week of January 2017 Torrey Pines hosted a PGA tour event with players using both the North and South courses during the first two rounds of tournament play. For rounds three and four the South course, with Poa annua greens, was played by all of the Pro's who made the cut. With both North and South courses used during the same PGA event this allowed a direct comparison of putting surfaces. The comments from PGA Pro's have been extremely positive on how smooth and firm the new 007 / Tyee greens have played.
Medinah Country Club to restore its No. 2 course in 2016, an original 1927 design .
Located in a Chicago suburb, Medinah is home to three legendary golf courses - Course No. 1, Course No. 2 and Course No. 3. The famed Course No. 3 has played host to numerous major championship and prestigious international golf events throughout the club's history.
Medinah Country Club initiated a $3.6 million project to restore the club's Course No. 2 to its original character.
"Most people don't know what a special gem Course No. 2 is," said Curtis Tyrrell, Medinah's director of golf course operations. "When we restore the design elements and upgrade the playing surfaces, it's going to bring an exciting new dimension to the overall Medinah golf experience." Tyrrell will oversee the restoration, while course architect Rees Jones will serve as a consultant. Jones, led the renovation of Medinah's Course No. 3 ahead of the 2012 Ryder Cup.
With the restoration of Course No. 2, Medinah will have invested more than $14 million since 2008 to upgrade its three courses. Course No. 1 reopened last summer after a renovation by Tom Doak.
Moraine Country Club, OH - Since 1930 this recently restored (2014 - 2015) Scotish links style course was seeded to 100% 007 fairways - uniform, disease resistant and closely maintained bentgrass turf.
Penn Oaks Country Club, west of Philidelphia had very bad luck in late spring 2015 followed by a new beginning during the fall months - new 007 greens.
The Penn Oaks Country Club "lost their greens" this past June due to application of a "tainted" chemical spray manufactured by a Chinese company. This same problem occurred in 2015 on approximately fifty golf courses located mostly in the north eastern US. The pesticide spray was so damaging to turf on the greens (dead and unplayable) that a majority of the courses affected by the application of this Chinese generic fungicide had to close for part or all of the 2015 golfing season.
Shortly after applicated of the tainted fungicide in the spring of 2015 all greens at the Penn Oaks course suffered extensive turf damage. Club management decided to take this opportunity to initiate a total renovation of the greens. The decision was to close the golf course and core out greens eighteen inches deep and build new USGA greens under the direction of Mark Williams, golf course superintendent, Stephen Kay, Golf Course Architect, and Steve McDonald, Turf Consultant.
Stephen Kay rcommended 100% 007 bentgrass for seeding the new greens surfaces. The greens were seeded in late August with the last green seeded the end of September 2015 (photo above two and one half weeks after seeding). The plan is to open the course for play by mid May 2016.
Conway Farms Golf Course, Chicago, IL regrassed greens with 007 bentgrass. BMW Championship was won by Jason Day, September 2015.
007 creeping bentgrasses was selected for regrassing greens at Conway Farms golf course in preparation for a major PGA tour event.
Conway Farms Golf Club hosted the 2015 BMW Championship, won by Jason Day, September 17 - 20, 2015 (PGA tour event, on the road to the final FedEX event.).
The new 007 greens looked and played fantastic as they were uniform, dense, smooth, fast, with no spiking of the surfaces. The 90% 007 / 10% Tyee seed blend was seeded in the summer of 2014, grew in during the fall of 2014 and matured during the spring of 2015. By September of 2015 the new greens were exceptional for the BMW Championship.
Conway Farms is located in Lake Forrest, Illinois, sits on 209 acres, is a Tom Fazio design and was originally opened for play in 1991.
Golf course designed by Tom Fazio in 1991 with USGA greens construction. The greens provided good internal soil drainage going into the regressing project.
Pre plant fertilizer was applied at the rate of 1/2 pound Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet with an additional application of Milorganite at the rate of 1/2 pound of Nitrogen.
Skokie Country Club, Chicago, IL, completes green and fairway renovation project with the seeding 007 bentgrass, August 2015.
Chicagoland area Certified Golf Course Superintendent Don Cross reports that after testing and researching varieties of bentgrass he will be seeding his renovated greens and fairways with 100% 007 creeping bentgrass. 007 is a proven variety with lots of examples to see from other course renovations that have taken place over the past few years. Superintendents have reported to save 50% on fungicide use with new 007 compared to their previous prerenovation turf.
August is the perfect timing for seeding bentgrass and the timing is right for completing the Skokie renovation. With an August seeding of greens and fairways expect to see some impressive turf by the end of September. The golf course expects to open for play in the spring of 2016.
Brentwood Country Club, Los Angeles.
The famed Brentwood Country Club completed a greens renovation and re grassing project in the summer of 2015 and re-opened for play in November 2015. The grasses selected for seeding the greens was a combination of 70% Tyee and 30% 007 bentgrasses.
Los Angeles Country Club South Course.
Following the renovation of the classic 1920's designed North Course a few years ago the LA CC has recently under taken the renovation of its South Course. The grasses selected for seeding the greens was a 70% Tyee and 30% 007 bentgrass combination. Greens were seeded in December 2015, with an expected late Summer / Fall 2016 re opening of the golf course.
Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Jack Nicklaus was selected as the course architect to renovated the Sherwood Country Club. For the regrassing of greens a 50% 007 50% Tyee bentgrass seed blend was identified for use. The golf course re opened for play in March of 2016. Sherwood will host the PGA Tour QQQ Tour Championship, as part of the Charles Schwab Cup in October 2017 and 2018.
At 1,582 feet, the highest point in Huntsville, The Ledges offers an 18-hole championship golf course like no other in Alabama.
The award winning course was designed by Hurdzan/Fry GCD, Inc., and first opened in 2000. In 2003, Designer Mike Hurdzan was named Designer of the Year by Golf Magazine for his work at The Ledges. He was also chosen as the recipient of the 2013 Old Tom Morris Award by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
The goal of The Ledges developers was to preserve the mountain’s natural beauty while creating a world-class golf course. Of the 750 acres set for development, 450 acres were set aside as a natural green belt protecting it from future development. 250 acres of the land are now a nationally recognized golf course, while 150 acres are used for the mountain’s residential development.
Golf members will experience breathtaking views of the valley, downtown Huntsville and even the Space and Rocket Center.
Bent grass greens, Zoysia fairways and Bermuda rough make up the landscape of the course. Designed with 5 different tee sets, sculpted greens and fairways and challenging bunkers, the course offers golfers of all skill levels an outstanding golf experience.
At 1,582 feet, the highest point in Huntsville, The Ledges offers an 18-hole championship golf course like no other in Alabama.
The award winning course was designed by Hurdzan/Fry GCD, Inc., and first opened in 2000. In 2003, Designer Mike Hurdzan was named Designer of the Year by Golf Magazine for his work at The Ledges. He was also chosen as the recipient of the 2013 Old Tom Morris Award by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
The goal of The Ledges developers was to preserve the mountain’s natural beauty while creating a world-class golf course. Of the 750 acres set for development, 450 acres were set aside as a natural green belt protecting it from future development. 250 acres of the land are now a nationally recognized golf course, while 150 acres are used for the mountain’s residential development.
Golf members will experience breathtaking views of the valley, downtown Huntsville and even the Space and Rocket Center.
Known as "The Five Farms Golf Courses" the famed East course is a A.W. Tillinghast design, Par 70, with back to front pitched greens, and 96 bunkers. The East course has received many honors, including Golfweeks's list of "America's Top 100 Classic Courses." The East course is also listed as the best Classic or Modern (post 1960 design) Course
in the stae of Maryland.
Head Greenkeeper Timmothy Kennelly selected 007 for regrassing greens and fairways on the East course. The renovation project started on July 13, 2014. The new greens and fairways were grown in during the fall months of 2014.
Tim says, "We have been particularly impressed with the performance of the 007 creeping bentgrass from the initial seeding this past July and throughout the fall months. I’ve been especially pleased with the ease of germination during the cool months (October/November) while we were trying to “fill-in” thin areas on both the greens and fairways. The 007 responded well to nitrogen, but I found that on the fairways we were able to grow-in the young turf with less than 2 pounds of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet. We look forward to green up in the spring and managing the 007 in a very efficient and cost effective manner."
The following is a brief summary of the work completed in 2014. The greens renovation started on July 14 with Golf Course Architect Keith Foster and McDonald & Sons as the contractor. The first three greens were seeded on July 26 with the first mowing 13 days following seeding at a height of .250.” Construction continued throughout the summer seeding two to three greens at a time until the last green was seeded on September 12.
By December 18 all of the greens were being mowed at the same height (.150”). During fall months as the height of cut was gradually lowered periodic heavy topdressing was applied to all greens.
Scheduled for spring 2015 there will be surface grooming (brooming, verticutting, sand topdressing, and lowering heights to .125”) with the goal to open the golf course on May 21, 2015.
Regarding the fairways, after multiple applications of roundup, the fairways were seeded with 007 bentgrass over a three day period between August 8-10. Fairways were first mowed nineteen days following seeding at a height of .500”. Ninety days after seeding, the fairways were 99 % grown-in and mowing to a height of .400.
Photo below: Baltimore Country Club is ready for member play on eight month old 007 bent greens and fairways. The picture was taken on May 6, 2015 two weeks before reopening the golf course.
Photo below right:
Golf course superintendent Tim Kennelly shows off eight month old 007 bentgrass root mass in a plug taken from the 16th green.
The greens were seeded to 007 bentgrass in late August 2014 and the photo was taken May 12, 2015.
The members are excited to have the golf course ready for members play on time and on schedule as planned.
The East course at the Baltimore Country Club now has improved playing surfaces to compliment the many honors received for course design, including Golfweeks's list of "America's Top 100 Classic Courses."
Photo below:
New 007 bent greens and fairways ready for opening day in May 2015. Tim Kennelly has nothing but praise for the performance of 007.
Ridgemoor Country Club, Chicago, IL reopens for members on May 23, 2015 afer a total course renovation - play closed July 27, 2014.
Ridgemoor is an example of a very well done, excellently planned and executeded course renovation project completed under the leadership of Club President Ed Mancini. Without Ed's dedication and persistance this project would not have been approved by the membership.
Photo above: New 007 bentgrass fairway at Ridgemoor, June 2 2015.
Evaluating the eleven month old 007 turf: Going into August 2015 Josh reported he has cut fungicide use approximately 50% with 007 seeded on greens, tees, and fairways compared with what he was using prior to the total course renovation. Those saving on fungicides are real and will continue month after month and year after year.
All involved in the Ridgemoor course renovation must be gratified to have been part of a model project for planning and efficiency. The members will be taken away with how the new greens surfaces will perform, the consistency of the fairways, and tees and bunkers that now have style.
Having worked with many golf course projects, I observed the Ridgemoor renovation was executed as smoothly and seamlessly as any and is number one from my experience.
The golf course superintendent team of Josh and Todd are truly special and gifted professionals. I was impressed with the Jacobson design team of Rick and Doug and how they provided close contact and detailed responses during the planning and execution of the renovation. TDI was an excellent choice for the contractor.
A successful total golf course renovation only occurs with solid leadership, detailed planning, and a team of professionals to execute the plan. The members of the Club will now have many occasions to admire the new Ridgemoor golf course.
Photo below was taken May 22, 2015 on the day the golf course was reopened for play after a total course renovation in 2014. The new 007 greens were seed in August 2014.
Total golf course renovation summary for Ridgemoor CC.
Golf course superintendent Josh Langell selected 007 bentgrass for regrassing greens, tees, and fairways for the golf course renovation project. The golf course architect for the project is Rick Jacobson and associates.
The scope of the project includes rebuilding two greens on the golf course and building a new putting green. The sixteen (16) remaining greens will be gased and regrassed with 007 bent.
The fairways will be fumigated with Basimid and seeded to 007 bent. Some tees will be totally rebuilt, enlarged, leveled and seeded to 007.
Additionally, bunkers will be rebuilt with new sand added, new cart paths will be installed and additional drainage will be installed.
The timeline for the project is to complete the majority of the work during the summer and fall of 2014 with a scheduled reopening in late spring of 2015.
The photo below was taken on September 19, 2014 showing a new 007 bentgrass green that was seeded on August 23 - twenty six days old at time of the picture.
The renovation and regrassing at Ridgemoor that took place from July 27 through to the end of November was implimented very professionally. All of the new 007 greens were absolutely perfect going into the 2014 - 2015 winter.
Josh Langell, golf course superintendent, Todd Vermillion, assistant superintendent, Golf Course Architects Rick Jacobsen and Doug Myslinski are all very pleased with how the renovation progressed at Ridgemoor - late summer and fall of 2014.
In my opinion the Ridgemoor course renovation is a fine example of how a golf course can be significantly improved, with propper planning and implimentation, over a relatively short period of time.
New 007 bent greens seeded at the Oaks Country Club, Tulsa, OK
Dan Robinson, Golf Course Superintendent, seeded new 007 bentgrass greens on October 5, 2014.
Nine months after seeding 007 greens (early August 2015) Dan reports the following "The actual greens are awesome. We have not pulled a hose to cool them off all year! We prep them up with our moisture meters to about 16% in the morning and let em go. Have not had a burn yet, so I don't expect one either....007 WAS A GREAT CHOICE!!!!"
In discussing a bentgrass greens grow in with Dan the following is what I recommended for the Fall 2014 seeding:
1. Apply a preplant starter fertilizer, 10-20-20 or similar ratio at the rate of two pounds of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Rake or till the perplant fertilizer into the top 3 inches of the growing medium.
Davenport Country Club, Davenport, Iowa - Dean Starks, golf course superintendent, supervised the course renovation in 2014 under the directon of Forse Design, Ron Forse and Jim Nagel. The 1924 classic golf course with push up greens was regrassed to 50% 007 50% Tyee bents on greens with the tees and fairways seeded to 007 bentgrass.
The greens renovation included three new USGA constructed greeens, with the remainding 1924 push up greens first stripped of three inches from the surface, then added three inches of a 85% sand with 15 % peat moss mixture followed by tilling to a depth of six inches. Next step was to add five additional inches of the 85 / 15 mix followed by tilling the surface to a depth of six inches. The surface was sterilized with methyl bromide, aired out, floated and packed prior to seeding.
The golf course is scheduled for opening to members play in May / June 2015.
The popular Monterey California golf course know as Poppy Hills reopened for play in the spring of 2014 after undergoing a total redesign and course renovation (2013) that took just more than a year to complete. The new greens were seeded to a Tyee / 007 bentgrass seed blend.
Jeremy Klotz, golf course superintendent outlines the Sept. 2013 greens renovation at the St. Clair Country Club.
The plan was to renovate the original 1920 push-up greens from the old Poa annua / Bent mixed turf growing in soil that exibited layering and were poorly drained.
Prior to the scheduled renovation a test green was establised at St. Clair CC in 2012 with 007 bentgrass. 007 bent was identified for use as a result of it's successfull performance on greens at the Greenbriar CC in St. Louis.
The 2013 greens renovations included:
Five complete green re-builds,
Six greens that were perviously rebuilt in 1993 were fumigated & skinned,
Seven greens were original pushups dating to 1911 that were fumigated and skinned.
Jeremy reports that the "007 established very well on all greens, and for the first summer in 2014 the 007 perfromed great with 8-10 inch deep roots."
Jeremy says that he is "thrilled with the results and ready to open the course in April 2015."
The following is an example of a 100% "in house" renovation using "home grown" bentgrass sod. That is five month old bentgrass sod grown on the golf course property. Most amazingly, there were no outside contractors hired to work on the following greens renovation project.
Metedeconk National 2012 Greens Renovation Project:
1. Strip greens, sterilize the soil, and seed to bentgrass: Nine holes were closed August 1, greens were seeded on August 15.
2. Strip greens and resod with bentgrass: Five greens sodded, using "home grown" sod from an on site nursery, starting October 16 and completed in late November 2012.
Summary results for 2012 include fourteen greens regrassed, from August through November. Additionally, fourteen greens approaches stripped and regrassed with drainage added to approaches.
Note: In 2011 two greens were regrassed using "home grown" bentgrass sod with two new practice greens seeded.
With the above 18 greens were renovated and will be open for play in the spring of 2013.
Starting the project: Stripping sod from a greens approach in early August 2012.
Photo right: Stripping nine greens in early August 2012.
The plan: Nine greens aerified in mid August, sod stripped on nine greens, three inches deep, sod removed from the surface, greens soil sterilization using Basimid.
Smile drains added to low points around each green the year before renovation.
Additionally, greens approaches stripped, drainage installed to approaches and sodded using 50% 007 50% A -1, A-4 bentgrass.
Photo left: Stripping greens, three inch thick sod, August 2012.
Soil on greens surface was sterilized using Basimid at the rate of 10 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft.
Photo right: Seedbed preparation...raking with leaf rakes.
The 10th green, seeded August 15 to 50% 007 25% A-1 25% A-4 at the rate of six pounds per 1,000 sq. ft (not a typo, yes, six pounds per 1,000).
Photo left: 10th green seeding at the rate of six pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. with 50% 007 25% A-1 25% A-4 bentgrass
After seeding the greens the next step is to roll to firm the surface of the greens, August 15.
After seeding the greens, light, frequent irrigation is applied to the surface.
Photo right: Germination on the green seven days after seeding to 50% 007 50% A-1, A-4 bentgrass.
Photo left: Preping the soil for installing a bluegrass sod step cut around each newly seeded green.
Golf course maintenance crew installing bluegrass sod around each green.
The bluegrass turf will serve as the step cut collar around each green.
Photo taken twelve days after seeding the green.
Photo below: Marking areas for sodding tall fescue around a bunker and also marking where the tall fescue hydroseeding of roughs will start.
Bluegrass step cut sod installed and bentgrass germination progressing on the new green.
Early September, the greens surrounds were hydroseeded to a seed blend of 100% turf type tall fescue, seeding rate 8 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft.
Germination of turf type tall fescue, in the rough, around greens.
Greens approach: Marking drain lines with spray paint prior to starting installation.
Installation of drainage to include pipe,stone, backfilled with sand, on all approaches to greens.
Cutting “home grown” bentgrass sod, five months old, at the Metedeconk National Golf Club.
A 50,000 square foot sod nursery was built, for greens use, and seeded, on site, at the golf course.
The sod nursery was established on a modified sand based nursery.
Cutting five month old sod from the Metedeconk bentgrass nursery, rolled up on 16-foot long strips onto pieces of PVC pipe -- use a bar placed into the pipe, one man on each side of the roll, will lift the sod rolls into trailers and then located them at a green to be sodded.
Sod installation on a greens approach after the drainage installation.
All sod was “home grown”,on site, at Metedeconk from a 20,000 sq. ft. nursery for use with re grassing approaches – bent sod was five months old, 50% 007 25% A-1, 25% A-4.
Approaches were not sterilized prior to sodding.
Metedeconk National Golf Club renovation eleven weeks after seeding greens to 50% 007 and 50% A-1, A-4 in early September 2012, turf – type tall fescue sodded around bunker faces. Approaches sodded using “home grown” 007 and A’s bent sod. The golf course will be open for play in the spring of 2013.
Most impressively, no outside contractors were used for the renovations. All of the work was accomplished by the golf course maintenance crew under the direction of Ryan Oliver, superintendent.
Pat Finlen, golf course superintendent at the Olympic Club, directed the total renovation and regrassing of his greens using custom sod grown from West Coast Turf. The sod used for re grassing the greens was seeded to 70% Tyee and 30% 007 creeping bentgrass varieties during the fall months in 2009 and winter of 2010.
Some have referred to the varieties Tyee and 007 as the new "super bents" recently developed at Rutgers University. Why are the bentgrass varieties 007 and Tyee called "super bents?" Simply, 007 and Tyee bentgrasses far exceed the overall turf performance that one would expect from Penncross, Penneagle, and Pennlinks. Additionally, both 007 and Tyee bents have proven performace for use on greens, tees, and fairways that significantly exceed the A and G varieties.
Photos above and below were taken in March 2009 during the rebuilding process for new greens surfaces at the Olympic Club.
The turf used for re grassing the greens was a combination of Tyee / 007 creeping bentgrass varieties. The Tyee / 007 sod was custom grown by West Coast Sod.
The photo below taken August 30, 2009 approximately five months after renovation of the new Tyee / 007 bent greens.
Superintendent Chris Randolph has developed a plan to totally renovate his first nine greens and the putting green. This plan includes removing the soil layer and replanting with seed of 007 creeping bentgrass.
007 is one of the new "Super Bents" developed out the the Rutgers University breeding program and marketed by Seed Research of Oregon. Chris selected 007 bentgrass because of it's proven heat tolerance and knowing it will provide a far superior putting surface compared to Pencross.
The photo below shows the soil layering problem in the greens at The Trails Club in Norman, Oklahoma. The justification for the greens renovation is understanding that soil layering is one reason why a golf course green may fail or provide conditions not condusive to water movement through the soil profile.
Chris explained, "The first step in the renovation process was to kill the existing Penncross green." In August 2012, "All geens on the front nine and the putting green were sprayed with Round-Up Pro-Max and Fusilade." The total kill herbicide spray was allowed to sit on each green for four to five days before cutting the sod and removing the old Pencross bentgrass turf.
The old Penncross sod, from each green, was cut at a two inch depth and removed.
Photo below shows a green after removing the two inch thick sod from the surface.
Chris reported, "We cut an additional two inches of soil off the green to make sure we removed the entire layer that was present. So, in total the amount of material removed from the surface was four inches. Edges were dug out with small excavator to remove Bermudagrass contamination."
The construction crew (photo below) is shown placing greens mix back in the green cavity. Once leveled the surface will be graded to contour, floated with water to pack and firm the surface, leveled with a sand pro, hand raked prior to seeding the 007 bentgrass.
The schedule is to have all of the new surfaces on the front nine and the putting green seeded by the first week of September.
Seeding new 007 bentgrass greens;
Seeding rate for 007 would be 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet (non coated seed). Chris has some 007 that is coated, with this I would adjust the seeding rate to 2 1/2 to 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
With a early September seeding date, if there is perfect fall weather, there is a chance the front nine greens may be open for weekend play in late fall. The most likely situation will be a spring 2012 opening of the new greens.
Chris explained his process for adding sand and mixing peat into the sand;
New coarse sand was brough in at a depth of four inches replacing the four inches of old soil removed from the surface (of each green). Dakota peat was added to the sand surface and was then spread uniformly over the top of the green with a sand pro.
After the Dakota peat was smoothed across a green using a sand pro, each green was tilled five times, in different directions, tilling the peat into the new sand at a depth of 6-8 inches, using a tractor driven tiller (high PTO speed and low travel speed).
Prior to seeding 007 bentgrass a contractor floated greens and shot grades for surface drainage.
The new greens at the Trails Club were seeded on September 8th 2011.
Chris observed germination of 007 bentgrass in three days with a green fuzz found on all greens after five days.
The first mowing of greens was seventeen days after seeding at .250 inch height of cut.
Chris advised, "My new 007 greens are coming in very nicely. The roots of the 007 seedlings are five - six inches deep, photo right, at twenty eight days old."
Chris reported, "Today (photo below), the greens are thirty three days old (October 10, 2011) with a mowing height of .200 inch, mowing four days a week, topdressing every Monday and fertilizing greens every Friday with .71 lbs. / Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet."
A late summer 2010 greens renovation produced excellent 007 bentgrass greens in April 2011. I visited Burning Tree GC in early April and toured the property with golf course superintendent Dave Kardos. I was amazed with the maturity, quality, uniforminty, color, fine leaf, dense texture of the new bentgrass greens. Every golf course with Poa annua greens should consider Dave's example for a 71 day bentgrass conversion.
Prediction: "Total renovation of Poa annua greens and re seeding with a new super bent" will be a growing trend for dealing with old Poa annua greens. Why not!
How did Dave Kardos accomplish the conversiton? Read the time line and proceedures as described below:
Burning Tree Golf Club, Washington, DC, USA - Gas and regrass existing greens and re seeded to 100% 007 creeping bentgrass (August - October, 2010). Dave Kardos, Golf Course Superintendent, explained the time line and process with his total greens renovation and seeding with 007 creeping bentgrass.
August 7, verticut greens, .120 inch (3 mm) blades, one inch (2.5 cm) deep. Quadratine aerification with half inch (13 mm) hollow tines, remove plugs.
August 8, bury green with sand, ½ kilo, to fill holes and cover the surface. Aereify with one inch (2.5 cm) hollow tines, down ten inches (25 cm) deep, on 3 x 3 inch (7.5 cm X 7.5 cm). Broom the sand to make a smooth surface.
August 9, cover each green with plastic cover and use methyl-bromide gas to kill weeds and seeds in the soil.
August 12, removed the cover
August 15, Seed greens with 007 bentgrass at 1.5 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. (7.5 grams per square meter).
August 17, verticut and reseed greens - after heavy rain - with .5 lb (2.5 grams per square meter) of 007 seed / 1,000 square feet due to rain wash out.
August 20, verticut and reseed greens - after a second heavy rain - with .5 lb (2.5 grams per square meter) of 007 seed / 1,000 square feet due to rain wash out.
August 30, cut greens first time at a .200 inch (4.9 mm)
September 11, lower mowing height to .190 inch (4.75 mm)
September 13, lightly topdress greens with sand
September 15, lower mowing height to .170 inch (4.4 mm)
October 19, new 007 greens open for play with a cutting height of .155 inch (3.95 mm). Seventy three days from the start of renovation – August 9 – to re opening on October 19.
Kirt Phillips, Golf Course Superintendent, at the Dallas Country Club (Dallas, Texas) has been kind enough to provide the following information about the renovation and re grassing of his new greens.
Kirt states, "We are going to seed the 70% / 30% blend of Tyee / 007 on our greens". Kirt reported that he seeded the front 9 on September 6th and mowed them for the first time September 24th, 2010. The remainder of the greens were seeded from the 9th-15th of September. As a side note all the greens have fans, otherwise there would be limited air circulation due to heavy tree cover and the environment close to downtown Dallas.
Photo below, drop seeding Tyee / 007 creeping bentgrass on the new greens.
Photo right, raking the surface after seeding, photo below rolling after raking, both processes assist with providing direct seed to soil contact - to improve seed germination.
A September seeding date in Texas will provide ideal temperatures for the grow in of a new putting green. Expect the green to be ready for play in the spring of 2011.
Photo left, Tyee and 007 creeping bentgrass germinating on a new greens ten days after seeding in September at the Dallas Country Club.
Photo right, Tyee and 007 green ten days after seeding. Once the surface is completely covered with seedlings the maturation process will begin.
It will take approximately four months for the green to become established but a year or more to provide a mature turf.
For the first summer after seeding (2011) the new greens should be mown a little higher than normal to minimize the summer stresses on a young bentgrass green.
Photo below is the 18th green at the Dallas Country Club taken on October 18, 2010 thirty eight days after seeding.
Photo below taken on October 18, 2010 - Green seeded on September 10 with a current height of cut of .190 inch, mowing 5-6 times week, superintendent Kirt Phillips reports "we started topdressing lightly every week when the greens were about a month old."
The close up photo below - October 18, 2010 - shows the density and texture on a seeded thirty eight day old 70% Tyee and 30% 007 creeping bentgrass green.
I want to thank Nathan Neumann, Grounds Superintendent, Wichita Falls Country Club for sending me an ongoing report on his almost two years old 007 putting greens.
Nathan's November 2010 report includes, "When I am asked about the performance and qualities of the 007, it has good density, very uniform, extremely fine leaf texture, and aggressive growth habit, but the one area where I believe 007 excels is because of the broad genetic base. The 24 parents of 007 gives the diversity to help adapt and deal with environmental extremes that are faced during the year, along with qualities to provide a superior putting surface. The climate I am in has very extreme weather conditions, and the 007 provides excellent winter color with no purpling and held up very well in the extreme heat we faced this summer. I have been extremely pleased with the performance and qualities of the 007 since I planted the greens over two years ago."
During the heat of summer the following comments were sent to me by Nathan on August 13, 2010 and relate to the extended heat experienced during the summer of 2010.
"As far as the other courses in this immediate area, the public golf course across the street from me has xxxxxx greens and they are not handling the summer stress very well at all. Most of there greens have a good amount of stress. I have heard of some bentgrass golf courses in the Dallas (100 miles away) area having some stress with some closing due to stress. We are far ahead of any course around this area (two year old 007 greens), and in fact some of the stressed areas I am starting to see some recovery on these areas. Most of the spots that I have are from the LDS / Fairy Ring or the areas that do not get any air, and most of these areas are confined to a couple of greens which do not have the best air movement."
Nathan's comments on some maintenance practices, "FYI, as far as water management, we have been hand watering throughout this heat stretch to help control moisture. We would deep water on Mondays with the irrigation heads, and then hand water the rest of the week. Any spots that have developed have recovered pretty well even during this heat.
The photo below is a two year old 007 green from the Wichata Falls CC taken on August 13, 2010 after excessive and extensive summer heat.
Photo below was taken on September 2, 2010.
The close up photo below was taken on September 2, 2010 and show's the end of summer density of 007 after extensive summer heat.
007 is proving to be one of the best new bentgrasses on the market today based not only on NTEP variety testing but from results in the field, on the golf course, and in the heat and cold.
More comments from Nathan about his 007 greens, "Growth wise has still been good, they seem to grow even during this heat. I have backed off on the primo apps slightly, and just foliar feed light amounts of N to keep the growth under control. This week I did not spray primo, and I did not lightly topdress them since I vented on Monday. I plan to get back on my regular program as soon as we get a slight break in the weather."
Thank you Nathan for your commentary on 007 creeping bentgrass.
Russ Myers, Director of Golf Course Maintenance at the Los Angeles CC reported "We seeded 70% Tyee / 30% 007 creeping bentgrass at different times throughout summer. The first set was seeded on April 4th . We open on 28th of October (2010)…..greens have been ready for at least a month…… We were mowing with 18” Jac with solid rollers at .115 about a month ago and switched to Baroness at .135 right now (October). We should open up at around .125 with wiehle rollers."
Russ commented, "The new bentrasses grew in excellent…..regular grooming has the texture pretty incredible. We were not grooming cleanup pass and difference was incredible. Strong root base, making use of moisture meters to hand water anything 4% or below in mornings. Meters go to 0.0% at 4.7” before wilting."
The River Bend Club, Great Falls Virginia, is undergoing a total renovation of the golf course under the direction of golf course architect Keith Foster. Golf course superintendent, Tom Lipscomb has planned extensively for this total renovation of greens, tees, fairways, and roughs with construction starting in February 2010.
The first four photos - left and below - were taken on June 21, 2010.
Included as part of the project is a new maintenance building, new irrigation system, extensive pond and stream restoration.
The original routing of the golf course has been maintained with major modifications made on six holes.
For regrassing the golf course Tom selected 007 creeping bentgrass sod for the fairways. Twenty three acres of 007 (big roll) sod has been contract grown by East Coast Sod in New Jersey.
Tall fescue sod for the roughs and short cut bluegrass sod for the intermediate cut - adjacent to the bentgrass fairways - is the plan.
The greens will be seeded in late August with 007 creeping bentgrass.
Tom stated, "I did my homework and visited East Coast Sod many times to see the 007 bentgrass as well as visiting Tavistock CC (NJ) and the Wilmington CC (DE) as these course also used 007 for their renovations. I consulting with Dr. Hurley and had extensive discussion on the qualities of the new bentgrasses being developed at Rutgers."
The general contractor for the project is Chip McDonald who has vast experience with total renovation projects on Mid Atlantic golf courses. Construction started in February 2010 and is scheduled to be completed by early October.
August 19, 2010 site visit to River Bend:
The following photos were taken August 19, 2010 that show prepping greens for seeding with 007 creeping bentgrass. Green sites were shaped during the summer and individual green cavities were filled with a sand based growing medium and allowed to settle for four to six weeks.
Use of GPS to determine percent slope on the green.
Percent slope is recorded on the green surface using paint.
Adjustments are made to the surface with low spots, excessive slope, drainage concerns, future mowing issues, and to conform to the golf course design concepts of Keith Foster.
Use of a digital level is used while adjusting the percent slope on a small portion of the green. One guide is to keep locations that are to be used for placing the cup at three percent or less.
Checking grade after adding sand to adjust the green surface - slope.
Water is used to pack and firm the sand during the finishing process.
Use of a sand pro with a board wrapped in plastic to assist with smoothing the surface. A level surface is very important when finishing a green prior to seeding.
Golf course architect, Keith Foster, will approve each green site prior to giving the go ahead to finish seeding the green. Once approved for seeding the green surface is raked leaving grooves.
Soil amendments and fertilizer being applied to the surface of the green after the light raking.
007 creeping bentgrass is applied to the surface of the green using a drop spreader.
Seeding the green with 007 creeping bentgrass on August 19, 2010. The 9th green was the first green to be seeded followed by six more greens the following day.
After seeding the green a machine with "dimple tire tracks" pass over the entire green surface to implant the seed into the sand. The dimples will hold moisture which assists with gemination of the seed.
Water is applied to the green immediately after seeding. Light frequent, every two or three hours during the day, irrigation will be applied for the first week after seeding. Germination is expected three to five days after seeding each green.
The total renovation project was completed at the end of October with punch list items completed by the end of 2010.
Photo below was taken November 10, 2010 approximately ten weeks after seeding greens with 100% 007 creeping bentgrass.. The roughs and fairways were sodded, roughs to turf type tall fescue and fairways to 100% 007 creeping bentgrass
Photo below - November 10, 2010 - is the par five 9th hole at River Bend. Fairways sodded in late summer 2010 using 100% 007 creeping bentgrass.
The River Bend golf course will re open for members play July 2011.
Golf course superintendent Dan Pierson recently completed (2008) a total turf renovation at the Wilmington Country Club in Delaware. The greens were seeded to Tyee creeping bentgrass which is one of the new "state of the art" bentgrasses developed by Dr. Leah Brilman of Seed Research of Oregon working in co operation with Rutgers University.
The fairways were seeded to 007 creeping bentgrass developed by Rutgers University working in co operation with Dr. Richard Hurley and Seed Research of Oregon.
See photos below,
I often am asked the question of "What is the best way to introduce new varieties of bentgrass into older varieties" (i.e., Penncross).
First is timing of the introduction of seed into an existing green, tee, or fairway. The best time of the year to spike and seed is the months of June and July. My suggestion is to spike and seed every other week starting in early June and continue through to August. The seeding rate should be in the range of 0.25 lb / 1,000 square feet (1.25 gram / meter square) every other week.
The spiking should be with the use of a "Job Saver" or "Speed Seeder" seeder with "cone shaped" spikes that penitrate approximately one to one and one half inch deep. If you do not have one there are many makes and models of spiking equipment that can produce a small hole in the surface for seed to fall.
When seeding greens I suggest applying a light application of topdressing to the surface and brush the sand into the thatch / mat.
Adding a new improved variety of creeping bentgrass (i.e., 007) will add to the seed bank and gradually incorporate the new genetics into the turf stand. You can expect that after two to three years of interseeding 007 into a Penncross green the turf will show the qualities (i.e., over all density and texture) of the new variety. That is not to say that all of the Penncross will be crowded out as I expect that some Penncross will remain. What I do anticipate is that the new 007 will become the dominant grass on the green, tee or fairway.
Interseeding new varieties of bentgrass will not solve poor drainage, poor air circulation, low light intensity, poor watering practices and other maintenance issues. If any of these factors are limiting the potential turf quality of a green, you MUST first solve these problems before you can expect significant improvement to the turf.
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