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COURSE CARE

Dealing With The Mid-Continent Drought

By USGA

| Nov 6, 2011
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The following is a resource for drought-related materials.   

  1. Water issues facing the turfgrass industry: Leading turfgrass scientists meet to exchange ideas regarding issues facing turfgrass water use.  Beard, James B.; Kenna, Michael P. 2008. USGA Green Section Record. November/December. 46(6): p. 9-17.   /content/dam/usga/pdf/imported/081109.pdf 
  2.  Why can't the golf course irrigation system keep up? Moore, James Francis. 2011. USGA Green Section Record. June 24. 49(25): p. 1-2.  /content/dam/usga/pdf/imported/moore-why-6-24-11.pdf 
  3. Regional Update:  The Drought of the Lower Mid-Continent – June 6, 2011 by Bud White http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/midcontinent/The-Drought-Of-The-Lower-Mid-Continent---June-2011/ 
  4. Regional Update – What Drought Restrictions Mean to Golfers – June 23, 2011 by Bud White http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/midcontinent/What-Drought-Restrictions-Mean-For-Golfers---June-2011/ 
  5. Regional Update – The Magic of Rain – July 14, 2011 by John Foy http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/florida/The-Magic-Of-Rain---July-2011/ 
  6. Regional Update –  Hot Tips for This Summer - July 29, 2011 by Bud White and Ty McClellan http://www.usga.org/course_care/regional_updates/regional_reports/midcontinent/Hot-Tips-For-This-Summer---July-2011/ 
  7. Webcast – Ramifications of Severe Drought – August 12, 2011 Bud White http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1106909087800.html 
  8. Green Section Record September 2, 2011 – In Texas the Drought Continues by Jim Moore http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1107416507781.html 
  9. Green Section Record September 23, 2011 – The Drought Might Have You Down but You Better Not be Out – Presentation by Jim Moore http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1107775045791.html 
  10. Green Section Record October 21, 2011 – The Impact of Drought on Golf Course Trees Recording of Webcast by Dr. Todd Watson from October 14, 2011 http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1108210301377.html 
  11. Green Section Record October 21, 2011 – Rain and Good Management Can Work Wonders – Before and after images of drought-stressed golf course. http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1108210301377.html 

 

Future Events: 

  • Nov. 15, 2011 – Oklahoma Turf Conference, Stillwater, OK.  Bud White, director of the USGA Mid-Continent Region will address golf course management issues with the current drought.   
  • Dec. 13, 2011 – Texas Turf Conference, San Antonio, TX.  Bud White, director of the USGA Mid-Continent Region will present on the drought of the southern Mid-Continent Region. 
  • April 2012 – The Mid-Continent Region will host a regional conference focused on the drought issue.  This meeting will be targeted to golf course superintendents and course officials.  Date and location TBD.   
  • March or early April 2012 – The Mid-Continent regional staff will present a webcast on dealing with bermudagrass as it comes out of the winter.  The topic will focus on helping course plan for the upcoming spring and summer depending on the conditions.  Date TBD. 

Other Activities: 

  • Jim Moore is working with the Texas ET Network (http://texaset.tamu.edu/) to establish better water monitoring for central Texas. This effort includes coordinating a meeting, hosted by the City of Waco, to educate the community in the concepts of ET (evapotranspiration) and deficit irrigation, and raising funds to purchase and install an ET-capable weather station in Waco. The meeting will be attended by golf course superintendents, commercial property managers, city officials, Master Gardeners, local meteorologists and homeowners. Texas A&M AgriLife extension agents and the USGA will make presentations. The weather station will provide more regionally-specific information to central Texas and help ensure that the allocated irrigation water is utilized in the most efficient manner.  The hope is that this effort will serve as a model for other communities to take similar steps, and will result in significant savings in water while still being able to enjoy recreational activities such as golf.