What makes greens great?

I have been mulling over this post for a couple of weeks now, fine tuning what I wanted it to look like over many quiet mornings changing holes (this morning was stunning). 

Basically what I have been batting around in my head, is what makes one green better than another? How is it that one set of greens are great and another set just so so. I realized after thinking about it for a while, there are many factors that come in to play. From design right through to how we topdress, a lot of people have input into how a set of greens behaves. So this post will deal with the nuts and bolts of constructing and maintaining a great green. We will start at the beginning and work our way through all of the different factors that can make or break a green. The outline will be:
1. Design & Construction
2. Grass Type
3. Topdressing, Aerating, & Verticutting
4. Irrigation Practices & Drainage
5. Fertilizer & Chemical
6. Mowing,  Rolling, & Grooming

 I will try to cover one topic per week for the next while, keeping in mind that because of the nature of my job, that may not happen...


1. Design and Construction
    Well you can't talk about a great set of greens without starting at the beginning. If a set of greens are not designed well, or not constructed with due diligence, there is not much point even starting the conversation. I have seen lots of talented Superintendents manage average surfaces very well, but there is a big difference between a well maintained green and a great all around set of greens.
    We can all remember the first time we set foot on a green that made us pause and take it all in. The one that made you smile because of the fun you had trying to navigate your way to the hole location. Many of these surfaces were built by the renowned "Golden Age Architects", back in the early part of the 19th century with nothing more than a pan and a horse. The best local examples of such greens around the Maritimes  reside mostly at the Stanley Thompson designed courses . Places like Highlands Links in Cape Breton or Old Ashburn located in Halifax are blessed with greens that are bold and full of contour and style.  The original greens at Thompson's only course on PEI, Green Gables,  are still some of the best designed greens I have ever worked with. I will never forget the chuckle I had the first day I was able to cut a pin on the 16th hole at Gables.

    Still the best green I have ever set foot on...

  A well designed set of greens must be fun and full of interesting rolls and bumps, but they also must be placed well within the framework of the architecture. The greens must fit the intended purpose of a hole, varying in size and shape depending on what the architect is trying to accomplish. All to often we play a hole to a green that just leaves us scratching our heads, because it doesn't seem to fit the strategy of the hole.
 Part of this placement a lot to do with the greens surroundings also. You can have a great set of greens, but if they are all set in low valleys and surrounded by trees, then they are never going to live up to there potential. Things like shade, air movement, and proper soil conditions all must be considered by the architect in order to make the greens functional. Even some of the best greens at Green Gables and Highlands Links had started to suffer before thoughtful renovations (by Tom McBroom and Ian Andrew respectively) opened up the green sites and allowed the greens to breath again.

The 4th hole at Anderson's Creek Golf Club is always hampered by to much shade and poor air movement.

The greens at the soon to open Cabot Links in Inverness, NS, appear to have all the pieces of the puzzle in place. Fun design, lots of humps & hollows, and lots of sun and air movement. (the double green on #11 & #13 are pictured above)

 Proper construction goes hand in hand with proper design. The choice of the structure of the green is not as important as the quality of the materials used or the attention to detail with the finish work. There are many different styles of greens to choose from, be it USGA, California style, modified USGA, or push up greens that use native materials such as local sand or good quality topsoil. The contractor must be able to not only adhere to the design principles laid out by the architect, but also must be able to make changes on the fly when necessary. Countless hours are spent by good contractors to get the contours just so, making the green not only fun to play, but functional as well. A great pin position can be rendered useless if the finish work does not allow water to exit the putting surface. Drainage of water both internally and off the surface is paramount to having a great surface to play on.
  The final point with regards to design has to do with how the Superintendent maintains the speed threshold. Many of the older greens that were originally built to accommodate slower green speeds, are being rendered unpinnable with today's quest for fast greens. A lot of the subtlety of a great green can be lost is everyone is four putting the green. Both Superintendents and greens committees must be aware of the ideal speed for the design of the green.  
  So we have built a great set of greens, with lots of internal contours, lots of sunshine and air movement, and the finish work was impeccable. What can possibly go wrong? Well, lots can and mismanagement can ruin a great putting green. The best designed greens in the world don't stay that way by accident. It takes a talented Superintendent, along with a dedicated crew to maintain greens at peak condition. Next week we will start going through some of the ins and outs of proper putting green maintenance.