With so many different tasks to complete every day, operational efficiency is critical for the success of every golf course maintenance team. Evaluating all the agronomic practices that need to be completed and precisely timing those that can be performed in conjunction with one another will improve overall efficiency.
After greens have been lightly topdressed, some superintendents use a deep irrigation cycle to incorporate the sand. Granular fertilizer applications must also be incorporated with irrigation, so efficiency can be improved by timing these practices to be performed at the same time. If the stars align and these practices can be completed prior to rainfall that is ideal, but don’t always rely on Mother Nature to offer up an assist with incorporating topdressing and granular fertilizers.
An added benefit of applying a granular fertilizer after lightly topdressing greens is that applicators can easily see where their previous pass was made and walk parallel to it. This will help make applications more precise and ensure nutrients are applied at the proper rates, while also eliminating the need for additional labor to follow along marking the spreader’s previous pass. The putting greens can then be irrigated after the granular fertilizer is applied to incorporate both the sand and fertilizer.
Having the agronomic program under constant review allows for tweaks to be made throughout the golf season. Even if the changes are minor, continuing to improve efficiency and use resources wisely will add up in the long run.
Central Region Agronomists:
Paul Jacobs, agronomist – pjacobs@usga.org
Zach Nicoludis, agronomist – znicoludis@usga.org