A water line break demands quick attention just before the championship begins.

Member-Guest or U.S. Open:How to Prepare for aTournamentby TIM MORAGHANAgronomist for Championships, USGA Rules and Competitions

1:u.s. Open and the mid-seasonMember-Guest Invitational mayappear to be miles apart in importance

and preparation, but a closer look revealsmany similarities. Both events assembleprominent players to the arena for a shortperiod of time, with specific demands ofthe contestant and high expectations fromthe host.

The superintendent's ability to plan inadvance for changes in course architecture,agronomics, budgets, day-to-day operations,encounters with the contractors, andapproaching deadlines all are tested dur-

ing tournament preparation. Following aresome of the standards applied to majorchampionships that could be useful to knowabout as you prepare for tournaments, bigor small, at your course.

ARCHITECTURAL CHANGESOccasionally, changes in course design

are included for U.S. Open preparation andare accomplished with the permission ofthe host club. Feature changes are usuallyminor, but a well-qualified golf course archi-tect should be consulted. All features of the

golf course are evaluated, and recommen-dations are made to improve conditions forthe event and for the long-term benefit ofthe club. Following are typical changes togreens, tees, and fairways:

Putting Greens• Recover lost green surface to restore stra-

tegic hole locations.

• Improve heavily trafficked hole-locationareas by increasing surface area.

• Ratten or moderate a steep slope.

JULY/AUGUST 1992

Installing new sand just prior to an event usually requires tamping or compacting activityto prevent fried-egg lies.

• Rebuild broken-down greens ide bunkerbanks.

• Add drainage, remove trees, or completelyrebuild or regrass the putting surfaces.

Teeing Grounds

Reestablish a firm, level playing surface.Reshape and point the tee toward thearchitect's intended target.Add surface area, corresponding with thenumber of rounds played, to improve turfconsistency.Reduce tree effects, by root or canopypruning or tree removal, to improve turfperformance or remove unfair obstaclesfrom blocking tee shots.

Fairways

• Establish a fair but challenging target forall levels of ability.

• Fairway boundaries should provide shotvariety from the tee and exact some de-gree of penalty for a poor shot.

2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD

• Place a premium on accuracy and allowthe player to "let it out" with the driveron a long par-4 or par-5 hole.

• Establish specific turf types for fairwaysand roughs to avoid unwanted shrinking,straightening, or expanding.

• Properly established fairway perimeterswill aid decisions on the position of extrafeatures such as trees, bunkers, ponds, etc.

Grooming for a tournament combines twoprimary qualities: playing conditions andaesthetics. When referring to playing con-ditions, the thought that "green is notnecessarily great" should apply to courseconditioning. Over-irrigated and over-fer-tilized lush, green turf does not equate to orproduce fine playing conditions.

The goal of preparing for a competition atany club should be to capture the "Golfer'sEye" - to have all areas of the golf coursein proper playing condition, while meetingthe need for extras such as an adequatesupply of practice balls at each station andwater in the ball washers on each tee.

GREENSIn preparing for a golf event, goals and

priorities must be set. Statistics tell us that42% of the game of golf occurs on the putt-ing greens. Following are some factors toconsider when grooming your greens.

• Greens should be firm and fast. Greenspeed should be established according tothe skills of the contestants.

• Greens should provide a true putt andbe uniform and consistent from green togreen.

• Follow through with proper culturalpractices.

• Maintain a preventative pest controlprogram.

• Avoid excessive irrigation.

Aeration

Never a popular topic among golfers, theaeration process is a must to produce fmeturfgrass that can withstand player and cul-

Altention to detail is the name of the maintenance game in preparing for a tournament.

tural abuse during the week of a tournament.Following are some general guidelines.• Aerification can be accomplished in

mid-May, before the rush of play begins,and in mid-September, after all importantclub events have been played.

• Use half-inch hollow tines on conven-tional punch-type machines. Smallertines have less impact on play.

• Remove the cores completely. Try tocompletely fill the holes with good-quality topdressing material.

• To avoid "pimpling," or the surge ofgrowth near the top of the aerifier holethat causes a bumpy surface, continuetopdressing lightly and frequently everytwo to three weeks.

• Consider water injection as an alternateform of aerification.

• To minimize surface damage, considerusing the quadra-tine aeration system.

TopdressingDone to promote smooth, uniform, and

consistent putting surfaces, topdressing ona light, frequent schedule is perhaps themost important management tool the golfcourse superintendent can use on estab-lished turf. The benefits for proper playingconditions include:

• A smooth putting surface, finer-texturedturf, with a tighter, more upright growth.

• Control of unwanted grain or leafiness.

• Thatch and compaction control for bettershot -holding characteristics.

For tournament preparation, applicationsshould be just enough to be gently workeddown into the upper profile of the green. Asuggested amount would be Y3cubic yardof material per 3,000 square feet of puttingsurface. Topdressing should not be donecloser than 14 days prior to the first day ofyour event.

Vertical Mowing, 'furf Grooming,and Rolling

• Vertical mowing can be done to removethatch and heavy growth. It often is donebefore aerification and before topdress-ing. New, sharp blades should be usedduring the spring and fall, while older,dulled blades should be used prior to theevent to reduce turf stress. Heavy verticalmowing should be done at the optimumtime for recovery.

• Turf groomers are used to producesmoother and faster greens without hav-ing to drastically reduce the cuttingheight. Grooming blades should be setabout 132 inch below the cutting height,and best results are obtained when goingin the opposite direction of the greens-mower. Avoid grooming around the peri-meter pass and on severely undulating sur-faces. Grooming can be done as often asnecessary, but caution should be used ifsigns of wear or turf stress are observed.

Rolling units recently have been intro-duced to green maintenance programs.Initial use suggests that green speed canbe significantly increased in some cir-cumstances without having to lower thecutting height. Trials will be continuedto determine the place of these machinesin tournament preparation and greenmaintenance.

JULY/AUGUST 1992 3

Traffic control is essential to protect the course when large galleries are expected.

FertilizationProper fertilization with respect to a tour-

nament is based on application timing,amount applied, and type of fertilizer used.• Reduce the amount of fertilizer applied

as the event nears to minimize the oppor-tunity for an unexpected surge in growth.Time the last application of granularproducts so that nutrient supply ends atabout the time the tournament begins.Timing will depend on the type of fer-tilizer applied and the weather conditionsexpected at that time.

• Liquid applications of fertilizer can beused in combination with granular appli-

4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD

cations. With proper timing, liquid appli-cations can maintain turf color andstrength while avoiding unexpectedgrowth. When using liquid products, adda dye for tracking to avoid overlappingor skips.

IrrigationApplying too much water will make the

golf course appear lush and green, but it willplay soft and slow. Too little water mayimprove playing conditions, but the turf willbe severely stressed. During the fmal month,manage your irrigation program day to day

and apply water when and where it is re-quired. The week preceding the tournament,and during the event itself, apply only enoughwater to keep the plant alive. Remember, itis easier to apply water to dry turf than it isto take it away from saturated turf.• Always carry and use a soil probe.• Understand the difference between hand-

watering and syringing.• Check all irrigation heads for water

pattern and distribution.• Level all irrigation heads in play areas.• Check all syringe hoses and nozzles for

leaks and have extras on hand.• When syringing during play, work in

reverse order when possible.• Schedule sufficient manpower to cover all

putting surfaces.• Irrigate greens in the morning. Watch the

water pattern and look for leaks, breaks,sticking heads, and signs of overwatering.

TEEING GROUNDSThe teeing ground is the starting place for

the hole to be played. Tees should be level,fIrm under foot, and closely cut. Propercultural practices are required to insurehealthy turf to withstand player use.

Divot repair should take place on a dailyschedule and be done at the end of eachround.To protect the play areas prior to the event,use wind screen or erosion netting. It canbe laid down or placed upright by usingstakes.Mow tees in the morning to provide a freshcut, remove dew, check for damage, andreduce the afternoon workload.Prune surrounding trees to eliminate un-necessary interference and improve turfgrowth.Prepare at least two complete sets of teemarkers that are the same shape andcolor.A note on location: It is preferable thattee markers be placed about six yardsapart. If the width of a teeing ground iswider than that, players are more likelyto inadvertently tee up in front of thetee markers. Tee markers should be set upsquare with the center of the drive zone.Place a small white dot of paint on the turfbeneath the marker to preserve the loca-tion and position of the teeing groundin the event a marker is lost, stolen, orbroken during play.If caddies are involved, place a fIve-gallonbucket fIlled with water near the tee sothey can wet their towels to clean clubsand golf balls during play.Place all accessories (benches, ball wash-ers, trash cans) within reach, but awayfrom the designated tee.

• The teeing area is usually rectangular inshape, measures 5 to 10 yards in width,and is two club lengths in depth.

FAIRWAYSA course should be set up to require

accuracy as well as length. For the U.S.Open, fairway widths range from 27 to 35yards. On a short par-4, a 27- to 30-yardfairway is adequate, but on a long par-4the fairway should be wider to allow play-ers to "let it out." The narrowing or wideningof fairways, which necessitates a change inmowing height, should be undertaken aslong in advance of the competition as pos-sible. Fairways should be maintained toprovide a fIrm and tight turf. Fluffmess re-sults in "fliers," or shots without muchbackspin.• To decrease grain and playing against a

mowing stripe, mow fairways at an angleagainst the directon of play.

• Locate the center of the landing zone fromthe tee, and repair all unplayable areasfrom that point going 45 yards forwardto the green and 45 yards back towardthe tee.

• Overwatering landing areas and ap-proaches to greens will be perceived astricking up the course.

• When mowing, use metal irrigation flagsas directional markers for straight lines.

• Dew drag before mowing with a hosefIlled with water or sand to reduce bounc-ing and decrease the formation of clip-ping piles.

• When using two lightweight mowers,start mowing in the middle of the fair-way landing zone and work in the oppo-

site direction. This avoids extra tracking,turning, and clipping piles in the drivezone.

• Mow fairways as you would paint a floor.Start near the fIrst tee and mow awayfrom play to keep noise and interferenceaway from the competition.

• For clipping removal, park a truck in acentrally located position to reduce thetravel time of the mowers, and provide asupply of soil and seed so the driver canpatch divots until the truck is full ofclippings and ready to be driven to thedisposal area.

BUNKERSThe settled depth of sand in bunkers

should be 4 to 6 inches, except that the sandin the faces of bunkers must be shallow andfIrm enough to prevent balls from becom-ing plugged or lost. To prevent this, create alip on the front edge of greenside bunkers.No new sand should be placed in thebunkers within eight weeks of the fIrst dayof practice.• To settle new sand, apply a wetting agent

at 6 to 8 ounces per 1,000square feet every7 to 10 days.

• For packing sand, use the mechanicalsand rake with its rakes raised and driveback and forth over the floor of thebunker. Using a hand-held hose, irrigatethe sand prior to packing with the sandrake or other packing device.

• To aid in the fIrming process, hand rakebunkers when labor and time permit.When hand raking, always rake in thedirection of the shot be be played.

• Use backpack blowers to quickly removeleaves, twigs, and debris after strongwinds or a storm.

ROUGHSRoughs should be of suffIcient height to

provide a signifIcant problem, but not sopenal that a player in the rough off the teewill have to take a wedge and hack theball sideways to the fairway. If the rough isthis penal, a player will be penalized a fullstroke for an errant drive. The USGAbelieves that the penalty for straying off thefairway should be about one-half stroke.• For a cleaner cut and more upright stand

of turf, use a rotary mower as opposed toa reel mower.

• To reduce the competition for water andnutrients, and to improve the density ofthe rough, root prune along all tree-linedroughs.

• For a thick stand of turf, consider adormant fertilization with an organicsource such as Milorganite in the late fall.In the spring, use a soluble product whenthe event nears.

• To keep the rough growing upright,remove all vehicular traffic from theroughs 14 days prior to the fIrst day ofthe event.

EQUIPMENT INVENTORYEach piece of equipment, from shovels

to lightweight fairway mowers, should beaccounted for during the off-season, priorto your club's budgetary review and theupcoming event.

Inconsistencies in the rough may require major renovation in some cases.

JULY/AUGUST 1992 5

• Your event may require a separate tourna-ment budget.

• Review your equipment and decide if youhave what it takes to get the job done anddone on time. If not, then present thedilemma to the Board for evaluation.

• If there is a shortage in one area, especiallyheavy equipment, consider a lend/leaseprogram with local distributors or neigh-boring clubs.

• Even the best equipment inventory canbe lacking during an emergency. Knowwho, where, and how to acquire addi-tional equipment in times of crisis, in-cluding bad weather, vandalism, and partsshortage.

Consider the following items and theirvalue to your event, and plan for their useand/or shortage.

Marking Stakes

Have an adequate supply of markingstakes, including those for out-of-bounds(OB), ground under repair, water, and lateralwater hazard. OB stakes should be placedno more than 20 yards apart so the player orofficial will have line of sight from stake tostake when making a ruling. Hazard stakesshould be 2" x I" x 24" in shape, and OBstakes should be 2" xl" x 36~'

Flags and Flagsticks

The USGA supplies two sets of flags tothe host club for USGA championships.Having two sets of flags helps in case ofdamage, vandalism, and souvenir hunters.The USGA requires flagsticks be suppliedthat are 8 feet in length, yellow for sightingagainst a gallery, and straight from top tobottom in design. As with the flags, have twosets of flagsticks on hand.

Pumps, Hoses, Squeegees

When it rains during an event, it pours,usually uncontrollably. The goal after a raindelay is to return the course to the competi-tors within 45 minutes after the rain hasstopped. To make the transition easier, con-sider the following:• Divide the course into sections (three or

four) and have two pumps per section.• One hundred feet of hose should accom-

pany each pump to move water far enoughaway so it will not return to the area justcleared.

• Each section should have at least fivesqueegees, shovels, and rakes to movewater, replace sand, and clean up debris.

• For easy transport, have one utility vehicleper section.

6 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD

• Clean and flush all known drain lines forbunkers, greens and fairways to removeblockages that would slow down therecovery process.

Ball Washers, Towels, Benches,Water Coolers

Each item is required for any event.Whether or not they are used depends onthe contestant. They should be placed foreasy use, but not so close that they wouldinterfere with play.• Water cooler placement depends on ter-

rain, temperature, and size of the field.Normally, one cooler per tee is sufficient.However, the warmer the weather, themore water is consumed, so be preparedto have 36 coolers for the golf course, andan additional 12 for replacements.

• Tee towels should be thick enough forcleaning. Avoid fancy logos that wouldmake attractive souvenirs.

Plywood Sheets

Wet weather, soft ground conditions andheavy equipment can make a great impres-sion, but on the negative side. Erecting tents,scoreboards, and concession stands requirestraffic of heavy equipment across the golfcourse. Having 50 to 100 sheets of 4' x 8'%" plywood on hand make it much easierto traverse the course.

Sand, Soil, and Woodchips

Bad weather or excessive vehicular andspectator traffic can cause very muddy con-ditions both on and off the golf course.Arrangements should be made to provide anample supply of woodchips, bark, mulch,sand, or similar material available for suchconditions. Also, make arrangements withyour supplier for quick delivery and easyaccess to the club.

Radios

Proper communication is essential for asmooth-running operation. Radio contact be-tween the superintendent, crew, clubhouse,and tournament officials is a must, especiallyduring an emergency. For quick and easyresponse, acquire a multi-channeled radio,where each area of responsibility for theevent can conduct its business on its ownstation.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Weather Emergencies

Foul weather, heavy rains, and lightningare quick to form and can be very danger-

ous. Thorough preparation and evacuationplans for sudden storms should be completeand practiced.• Develop a written plan for everyone in-

volved covering emergency proceduresand evacuation.

• Contact and work with local weatherauthorities.

• Have buses, vans, and cars positioned atspecific spots for evacuation.

• Provide a course map with the position ofvehicles and rain shelters.

• If the fairways are lined with privatehomes, check with the owners for per-mission to house golfers during a suddenstorm.

• Have a warning system (sirens, horns,etc.) loud enough to be heard on all partsof the course.

• Contact local police, fire, and EMSgroups, and coordinate their services forthe event.

Security and Medical

For protection and first aid it is suggestedthat these services be contracted out. Theprofessionalism and experience cannot besubstituted.• Course security is most important at

night.• Provide a tour of the course for security

staff and set aside two working golf cartsfor each night.

• Medical personnel should be centrallylocated on the course.

• A quick, easy, and firm roadway shouldbe provided for easy entry and exit.

Parking

Though you may not have U.S. Opennumbers with respect to parking demands, itwould be wise to have an area large enoughto meet your needs.• Priority should prevail for your members,

clubhouse staff, and grounds maintenancepersonnel.

• All parking areas should be well drained,dry, and easy to get to.

• Always have backup parking available.• Contact a towing service for repairs and

for cars that are stuck or abandoned.

Preparing a course for a tournament,whether it be the U.S. Open or the annualmember-guest, can be stressful for all in-volved. Good communications can keepproblems and conflicts to a minimum. Butkeep in mind that golf is a game. Take sometime to enjoy the event, watch some golf,and take pride in the fruits of your labor.