Sports turf is different to other types of turf in various ways. Primarily though, the major difference is that sports turf may suffer more wear and tear than ornamental lawns.An ornamental lawn may be walked over very little, and when it is walked on, traffic is generally mild. The amount of damage which a sports turf suffers will depend upon:
- The amount of use it gets
- The type of games which are being played on it
- Weather conditions (eg. it is more likely to be damaged in very wet weather)
- Construction factors (eg. soil type, drainage etc)
- The type of turf cultivars growing in the turf
- The health of the turf (and related to this, the level of care and maintenance).
A skilled sports turf manager must know how to evaluate and address any such problems as they arise.
Content
The content is directed to managing the maintenance of sports turf, with ten lessons as follows:
1. Turf Variety Selection
Introduction
Turf Varieties in Parks
Sowing
Feature Lawns
Picnic Areas
Sports Grounds
Gardens
Parks
Turf Species; bent, fescue, rye, kentucky, couch, etc
Turf Cultivar Selection Criteria
Mixing Varieties
2. Mowing
Introduction
Types of Mowing Equipment
Mower Types; slasher, cylinder, flail
Preparation before mowing
How to Mow
Leaf Rakes and Vacuums
After Mowing
Changing Mower Blades
Mowing Sports Turf
Sports Turf Mowers
Problems that can Occur when Mowing
Edging
Options for Mower Power Systems; 2 stroke, 4 stroke, electric
Hover Mowers, Ride on Mowers
Choosing a Mower
3. Cultivation Techniques
When to Cultivate
Methods of Cultivation
Spiking, coring, drilling, grooving, forking, raling, air blast, etc
Coring and hollow tining for Sports Turf
Scarifying (Grooving)
Dethatching (Vertical Mowing)
4. Preparing for Play on Sports grounds
Introduction
Dew Removal
Water Removal
Combing
Vertical Mowing
Mowing
Rolling
Marking for Play
5. Preparing for Play of Greens
Golf, Croquet, Lawn Tennis, Lawn Bowls
Cricket Wicket Preparation
6. Turf Protection and Preservation
Managing Use
Minimising Damage on Turf
Why Repair Turf
How to Repair Turf
Reconditioning Soil
Reducing weed populations in turf
Managing turf Pests
Managing Demand
Repairing Turf
7. Irrigation and Drainage
Introduction
Travelling Sprinkler Systems
Quick Coupling Valve Systems
Manually Operated Irrigation Systems
Semi automatic Irrigation Systems
Automatic Irrigation Systems
Sprinklers, Valves, Controllers
Management of Water Features on Golf Courses
Improving Surface Drainage after Construction
Understanding Soils and Drainage, and Soil Compaction
8. Soil Treatment and Sprays
Major Nutrients and Trace Elements
Fertilizer Types
Fertilizer Application
Soil pH and Soil Ammendments
Cation Exchange Capacity
Pest Control; ants, beetles, caterpillars, grasshopers and crickets, leatherjackets
Disease Control; viruses, bacteria, fungi
9. Evaluate Maintenance Facilities
Bent Grass for Bowling Greens
Couch Grass Greens
Analysis of Park Maintenance
Park Maintenance Tasks
10. Develop a Management Plan
Common Environmental Problems; folia burn, pollution, lack of water
Drainage Problems in Turf
Frost
Temperature
Wind
Plants have Varying Tolerance Levels
Programming Works; maintenance, new works, construction crew
Weeds
Weed Control Methods
Developming a Management Plan for a Specific Site
Aims
- Select turf varieties to suit different sports surface requirements, in different climates and soil types.
- Select, use and maintain mowing equipment, appropriate to different types of sports turf situations.
- To determine appropriate applications for different turf cultivation techniques, including spiking, coring, thatch removal, and other common practices
- To develop skills in preparing different types of sportsgrounds for play, including both major and minor events.
- To develop skills in preparing different types of greens for play, including both major and minor events.
- To determine appropriate procedures for minimising deterioration of a sports turf; maximising its use and keeping the cost of maintenance at an acceptable level.
- Explain the irrigation and drainage requirements for sports turf fields.
- Determine appropriate treatments for the management of soil condition, including fertility, in sports turfs.
- Explain alternative procedures for sports turf maintenance, used for different types of facilities and evaluate procedures being used to maintain different types of facilities.
- Determine the resources required to maintain a selected sports turf; and develop management plans for different types of sports turf facilities.
Duration: 100 hours
Extract from Course Notes
WAYS TO MINIMISE DAMAGE TO SPORTS TURF
- Practice sessions could be held elsewhere as much as possible.
- Use covers to protect against heavy rain, or to cover valuable turf wickets during practice sessions.
- Using sponging/soaking machines to remove excess water.
- Delaying the start of the season till surfaces are fully prepared.
- Rescheduling games to other locations, or to when the surface is better suited for use.
- Temporary mid-season repairs
- Changing the areas of most intense play, such as remarking playing areas, rotating playing strip on a turf wicket, moving the tee location on golf courses, moving the hole on golf greens, etc.
- For top class turf facilities use air blowers, or even helicopters hovering above the ground to help dry out the surface.
Example of Assignment:
1. Submit your evaluation of being maintaining the different turf facilities investigated in
your first Set Task.
2. What specific wear problems did you find for each of five types of turf facilities investigated in the first Set Task? Explain why you think each of these problems has occurred. Include a copy of the questionnaire\chart\table you developed.
3. Describe/explain alternative procedures that you feel could be used to treat the wear problems identified in Question 1.
4. How might maintenance procedures for maintaining sports turf at multi-use facilities differ from those of single use facilities? Explain, and give examples.
