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More than meets the eye: many factors go into creating a quality golf course, but one thing is certain. If the proper turfgrass is not selected and well-managed, it won't matter how well the course was designed or constructed.

Article Excerpt
It has been said that nothing is as boring as watching grass grow. Try telling that to a golf course superintendent who must manage on average 150 acres of turf, while facing the obstacles of disease, pests, weather, and the traffic created by golfers. Because turf can be lost literally overnight, these professionals must combine their knowledge gained through education, rely on a considerable body of research, and use advances in technology to provide quality playing surfaces. And, they must do so without hesitation and with a keen eye for the financial implications.

To Sod or Not to Sod

Before selecting a particular turfgrass, a decision must be made regarding the process for grassing the course. For many golf courses, this bottom line of cost efficiency has dominated the decision on how to grass a golf course and propelled the growing popularity of turfgrass sod. Sod establishes itself sooner than other methods and enables new or renovated courses to open earlier and generate cash immediately. Courses grown in with other methods may require up to a year to become playable. Turfgrass sod is becoming an increasingly popular choice for golf course owners.

Choosing which type of turfgrass to use can be one...