The Balancing Effect - Taking The Balanced Approach To Golf Course Maintenance

With chemicals firmly under the legislative spotlight, course managers can no longer rely solely on this method of management. In light of this, the Balanced Management approach is taking greenkeeping back to its roots and away from the ‘quick-fix’ solutions that have dominated the market especially over the last two decades. Pioneers in eco-friendly turf care, Farmura, believes this management style not only produces excellent results but instils logical maintenance programmes that offer real value for money.

With over six million golfers and almost eight thousand courses in Europe, course managers have their work cut out to ensure peak condition all year round. Yet maintaining a golf course is an increasingly difficult task: As the game grows in popularity, increased use puts a heavy strain on playing surfaces. Furthermore, if turf care maintenance and disease prevention are not effectively managed they inevitably impinge on playing quality and, eventually, Club turnover.

Turf’s up

Although course maintenance regimes vary, fast greens and healthy fairways remain firmly at the top of every Club’s wish list. Increasingly difficult, and often contradictory, challenges are placed on Greenkeepers and course managers to deliver to these expectations. Greens and fairways should give the impression that they are hardly ever used, whilst catering to the numerous golfers that drive, chip and putt on them each day. And, whilst looking at ways to continually improve the quality of amenity turf, course managers must use less water and few, if any, chemicals in the process.

How then does a Greenkeeper enhance course quality within these constraints?

Going Green

Over the years, reliance on chemical solutions has escalated. However, with increasingly stringent environmental regulations limiting the use of chemicals for course maintenance, the golf industry as a whole is turning to ‘greener’ methods in a bid to reduce chemical use. The aim is not only to protect the environment, but also the wildlife habitat, natural water supplies, players, employees and visiting public – and to improve the image of golf.

As a result, the Balanced Management approach through a careful mixture of cultural, biological and chemical means is emerging within the industry as the ultimate in best practice leadership. Advocating prudent use of chemicals, in line with organic and cultural practices, is proving both practical, realistic and most importantly, successful.

One of the first companies to develop organic and environmental products, Kent-based turf care innovators Farmura, has nearly 30 years’ experience in the industry and a highly successful track record with some of the leading fine turf sports arenas in the world. The company’s approach is to combine honesty, quality care and traditional methods of greenkeeping with high quality and long-lasting solutions.

The integrated approach

Farmura has carefully developed eco-friendly products for turf management, and has long promoted a Balanced Management approach to turf care - stressing the importance of good cultural management and the use of organic and natural products. The company entered into the golf market following its success on Open Championship Links courses in developing indigenous bent and fescue grasses on greens and fairways. In this way, the demand for its environmentally-friendly product range has largely been shaped by its customers and the practical success of its turf care solutions.

One such client, Golf Course and Estate Manager at the Turnberry Hotel Open Championship and Links course and ex-Chairman of BIGGA, George Brown said, “I am still here, Farmura is still here, and the results continue to be here. My ultimate priority when choosing turf care products such as fertilisers or grass enhancers is to ensure they are environmentally-friendly. These types of materials have been used for centuries in course maintenance and remain incredibly successful, whilst being kind to the environment.”

Enhancing turf care

A balanced turf care programme has a powerful role to play in golf course management. For example, counteracting weak areas and enhancing root development as well as improving the quality of the turf. Golf Club München-Riedhof’s Course Manager, Peter Shaw, is one Greenkeeper who has seen this first hand: deploying a combination of natural and synthetic products with cultural techniques to counteract disease, increase root growth and enhance putting surfaces.

As one of the first regional sand-dominated golf courses built to United States Golf Association (USGA) specifications, the course is based in southern Germany at the edge of the Alps region. Due to its location, Golf Club München-Riedhof is susceptible to extreme climatic conditions that can activate diseases such as Take-All, dry patch and snow mould. In addition, with environmental issues high on the country’s agenda, the use of fungicides and herbicides is largely outlawed for golf course maintenance. To apply for permission to spray chemicals can take months and use up valuable funds - and even when granted, the permitted quantities are less than half the rate of its neighbouring countries.

Combination techniques

Golf Course Manager, Peter Shaw, takes up the story, “Finding the right balance of products to go hand in hand with good mechanical and aeration techniques is essential. I have been using Farmura’s environmental range of products for nearly 30 years - since I first started as an apprentice. Quite simply, by combining them with cultural techniques and other complementary products on the market, I get the best results.

“When the Munchen-Riedhof Golf Course first opened 13 years ago, I had some problems with Take-all, heat stress and dry patch. By intensively using products such as Porthcawl liquid organic fertiliser and Alginure to cultivate bacteria in the ground these were eliminated. The soil treatments are long-standing products that have always worked for me – the Alginure composted seaweed soil improver promotes healthy turf not just on the surface, but throughout the soil and roots. As a result, we now benefit from a high quality playing surface all year round. I never change a winning team, and for me Farmura’s eco-friendly range is cost-effective, high-quality and an essential part of my course maintenance regime.”

Liquid organics

In order to grow healthy turf it is vital to have healthy soil. Farmura liquid fertilisers encourage the stimulation of bacterial activity, which in turn promotes healthy soil structure. Furthermore, by using a combination of cultural, biological and chemical treatments, bacteria will multiply and improve the take-up of both locked-up and applied nutrients.

As one of the first companies to introduce liquid organic fertilisers to the European amenity market, Farmura has designed its range to feed and create conditions to increase existing bacterial populations, rather than just adding them to soil. One such product, the company’s flagship liquid organic fertiliser Porthcawl, contains over 70 analysed nutrients that effectively promote a dense, deep rooting sward and increased bacterial populations. The company’s entire range has been researched and tested for efficacy. In one such UK trial, bacterial populations increased by over 400% in a matter of weeks and further trials demonstrated improved root length, turf density and moisture retention.

Head Greenkeeper at Gainsborough Golf Club in Lincolnshire, John Evison, is an advocate of liquid organic products as part of his course maintenance programme. Founded in 1997, the Gainsborough Golf Club has two courses: Thonock Park is a parkland course and Karsten Lakes is a new championship USGA sand-style course with lakes and bunkers. He said, “I have used Farmura Liquid Organics for over 30 years. Aside from being environmentally safe, they are outstanding products. I operate a monthly regime of spraying the greens, mostly using Farmura Turf and Porthcawl organic fertilisers mixed in with seaweed and other cultural elements. This has vastly improved the turf quality on both courses, and has produced a harder-wearing playing surface. The Golf Club is ISO9001 registered, and fully supports the Farmura organic range.”

Back to basics

As legislation forces more and more chemical products to depart from the shelves, the lean towards adopting Balanced Management techniques is getting steeper. However, this approach is not a new one for many course managers – far from it. Getting back to the basics of greenkeeping ensures adherence to chemical legislation and a natural method of managing healthy turf that is proven to have long-lasting results. Backed by leading technical consultants and extensive research, Farmura’s Balanced Management approach can help course managers to gain the maximum benefits from their budget, whilst ensuring peak course condition all year round.

Jo Harris
Farmura Ltd

Farmura was established in the late 1960’s to develop the Farmura system of converting cow manure into organic fertiliser and is now a market leader in its class through continuing organic fertiliser innovation

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