Establishment Strategies for Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens.

Putting green renovations can improve golf course playing conditions, but are a costly and time sensitive process. Research was conducted to isolate factors that may expedite establishment of a putting green. Results can potentially save golf courses direct costs in materials and labor as well as lost revenue due to closure. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera cv. ‘Pure Distinction’), the most commonly used cool-season putting green surface, was seeded into a sand-based soil profile in mid-August 2013 and replicated in 2014. Treatment factors consisted of the following: initial mowing height of cut (0.381 and 0.508 cm), nitrogen (urea 46-0-0) fertilizer application rate (2.44, 4.88, and 7.31 kg/ha), vertical mowing (applied biweekly), plant growth regulator (trinexepac-ethyl applied biweekly at the label recommended rate of 0.398 L/ha), and controls. Results indicate nitrogen fertilizer application rate and vertical mowing significantly affected turf quality and establishment rate. Turfgrass quality, as measured by chlorophyll content, was directly related to nitrogen rate. The vertical mowing regime, initiated in late spring both years, was too aggressive to have any positive effects on turfgrass quality. The effects of mowing height were negated by late spring in both years. Plant growth regulator application, also initiated in late spring, did not affect establishment rate.