AMERICAN AND SCOTTISH GOLF COURSES: ARE THEY THE SAME

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AMERICAN AND SCOTTISH GOLF COURSESARE THEY THE
SAME?
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Introduction

• Layout
• Grass Species
• Common Problems We Share
• Maintenance
• Water Use
• Pesticides
• Fertilizers
• Mowing
• Other
• Budget

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Layout

• Scotland
• Open
• Windy
• Up and Down

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Layout

• America
• Distinct shot paths
• Less windy
• Softer appeal

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Layout

• Trees surrounding greens
• Can anyone name this hole?

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Grasses

• Scotland
• Fine Fescues
• For the most part all course, in Scotland, use
  fine fescues for their courses.
• Low maintenance areas
• Create a fast playing surface
• Doesnt need a lot of water or fertility
• The higher maintained the higher the risk of
  disease

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Grasses

• America (Northern Region)
• Many different types which include
• Kentucky Bluegrass
• Fairways, Tees, Roughs
• Creeping Bentgrass
• Fairways, Tees, and Greens
• Ryegrass
• Tees, Rough
• Fescues
• Rough, Fairways

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Grasses

• America (Southern Regions)
• Bermudagrass
• St. Augustinegrass
• Centipedegrass
• Zoysiagrass
• Bahiagrass

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Oh yea and POA!
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Common Problems

• As in the U.S. Poa is a huge problem in the U.K.
• Causes slow, soft, bumpy, putting surfaces
• Compaction, Over 70,000 rounds played over The
  Old Course.
• More foot traffic, Golf carts rarely used in the
  U.K.
• Hot Spots, on greens

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Water Use

• Scotland
• They keep their courses dry and thirsty.
• In an attempt to keep the poa down to a minimum!
• Some areas have restrictions as to how much water
  can be used.

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Water Use

• America
• A little Different approach depending on the
  area.
• The course I work at has a water treatment
  facility
• Were able to irrigate any time we want to keep
  our course green
• Some courses will hand water all week long, and
  only turn the sprinklers on once a week.
• Biggest difference American golfers like to see
  green, and Scottish golfers are content with what
  they have at the time

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Comparison
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Fertility

• As with water use, being that color, and
  appearance does not seem to be as important in
  Scotland as it is here, their Fertility program
  in much lower than ours.
• In some instances fairways are only fertilized
  once a year, and only to specified areas.

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Fertility

• We like green
• Greens may get hit every two weeks.
• Tees once a month.
• But in almost every case the entire playing
  course gets fertilized at least once in the fall.

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Pesticides

• Except for some small problems with moss,
  chemical pesticide usage on golf courses in
  Scotland is none existent.
• Weather plays a huge factor for them.
• Windykeeps course dry
• Low humidity
• Fair temperatures

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Pesticides

• They do however employ a year-round specialist to
  trap and dispose of rabbits at the St. Andrews
  Courses.

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Pesticides

• Here in the U.S. it seems we spray whenever we
  want, and sometimes when we dont need to.
• Some courses are able to spray on a preventative
  basis, so they spray every two weeks.
• And as Jack McKenzie says Spray it white sleep
  at Night!

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Pesticides

• Our weather is the main reason for more spraying
  and worrying.
• High humidity, combined with a previous rainy
  day, and a very hot day can cause a lot of
  problems
• Some diseases that may cause concern include.
• Pythium
• Dollar Spot
• Anthracnose

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Pesticides

• Depending on the area that you are located there
  can be different wildlife that can cause
  problems.
• Some for this area include
• Canada Geese
• Deer
• Gophers

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Mowing
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Mowing

• The amount of times each of these areas are mowed
  per week is almost exactly the same. (Based on
  the St. Andrews program)
• GreensEveryday
• Tees3 sometimes 4 times a week
• FairwaysAt least 2, but 3 times a week during a
  heavy growing period.
• Roughs1-2 times a week as needed

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Other--Bunkers

• As we have already discussed in class, Scotland
  is very well know for its pot bunkers.

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Other--Bunkers

• U.S. style bunkers are much different.
• Shallow, free flowing shape, and can be quite
  large.

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Budget

• The maintenance costs and budgets are a fraction
  or ours.
• This again is because of the weather conditions,
  and less man-hours needed to prepare the course.
• Also, as I stated earlier their critical golfers
  seem to be more stuck on the old ways, and dont
  want to disturb their ancient courses.

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Budget

• St. Andrews currently has a crew of 50 Greens
  Keepers split up into 5 groups to take care of
  their six courses. 1 group covers both the Eden
  and Balgove courses.
• Here in the U.S. It isnt uncommon to have up to
  24 crew members for an 18 hole course.

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Budget

• Budgets in the U.S. can reach up to around 1
  million dollars.
• This of course will include a lot of tree care,
  flower beds, shrubs, etcwhich you dont find
  nearly as much of in Scotland.

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Conclusion

• The average golfer could depict a Scottish
  course from an American course based completely
  on layout.
• What if you took layout and design out of the
  picture, then how do you tell the difference?
  Well I named a few today, and Id like to leave
  you with this.

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Which Course is in America and Which is in
Scotland?
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References

• www.google.com
• http//www.standrews.org.uk/golf/greenkeeping/inde
  x.html
• http//www.saint-andrews.co.uk/golf.htm
• USGA Greens Section July/August 1994