Ballybunion

Ballybunion
Links Golf Trial
www.barenbrug.co.uk
01359 272000
[email protected]
BALLYBUNION Links Golf Trial BALLYBUNION TRIAL RESULTS SUMMARY Dr David Greenshields Barenbrug Research and Development Manager Greens There is significant variation in performance amongst mixtures and monocultures trialled under golf greens maintenance. The most interesting findings from the trial are:  The results suggest the environmental conditions at Ballybunion are conducive for the growth of fine fescue species on golf greens  BAR FESCUE was the top‐performing seed treatment in the trial. o This finding highlights the importance of having a blend of red fescue sub‐species (slender creeping and Chewings) for year‐round performance on golf greens. BAR FESCUE is specifically formulated to combine all the individual cultivar characteristics in a synergistic mixture, thus ensuring the mixture is “better than the sum of its parts”  The graphs indicate that Chewings fescues perform better in spring (see results from 1/5/11 assessment) and slender creeping red fescues excel in the summer (1/7/11 assessment)  Seed treatments containing bentgrass performed poorly in general. However, this was partly due to some severe Take‐all patch disease during early establishment, which must be considered when analysing the results. Closer examination of the graphs suggests, in most cases, the bentgrass plots improved dramatically later in the trial  The performance of BAR 22 and Hardtop compared to BAR FESCUE may offer support that Hard fescue is unable to maintain performance under 4mm mowing height Fairways Although there is insufficient variation in performance amongst mixtures and monocultures trialled under golf fairway maintenance to offer any firm conclusions, some general points are:  The good performance of Hardtop in the fairway trial offers further support to the conclusion that Hard fescue struggled in the greens trial predominantly due to the constraint of the mowing height  The performance of BAR RUBRA suggests that the use of strong creeping red fescue in a mixture at 10mm mowing height may be an acceptable compromise for those looking for an economical seed mixture. The negative aspects of this sub‐species versus Chewings and slender creepers should still be considered BALLYBUNION Links Golf Trial DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOL Trial Location: Project Facilitator: Project Evaluator: Name of Project: Goal of Project: Parameters: Plot Size: Sowing Date: End Date: TREATMENTS G1 BAR All Bent 50% BarKing 50% Heriot G4 BAR Trio 40% Barcrown 30% Viktorka 30% Barpearl G7 BAR 40 40% Barkoel 30% Barcrown 30% Hardtop G10 Hard Fescue 100% Hardtop Ballybunion Golf Club Mike Hartney Neil Pettican Links Golf Trial Determine the influence of a links environment on cultivars Golf green mowing height (G) and fairway/tees height (F) 1.75 x 2 metres, 3 replications 18 August 2010 On‐going, subject to review G2 BAR 22 30% Hardtop 15% Viktorka 20% Barcrown 20% Barswing 15% Barbirdie G3 BAR 1 40% Barpearl 40% Bargreen 20% Highland G5 G6 Slender Creeping Red Fescue BAR Duo 100% Viktorka 50% BarKing 50% Bengal G8 G9 Slender Creeping Red Fescue Chewings Fescue 100% Barcrown 50% 7FR 222 50% Bargreen II G11 G12 BAR 2 20% Barcrown 20% Viktorka 15% Barswing 15% Bargreen II 10% 7FR 222 10% BarKing 10% Heriot BAR Fescue 25% Barcrown 25% Viktorka 20% Barswing 15% Bargreen II 15% 7FR 222 BALLYBUNION Links Golf Trial F1 BAR Rubra 40% Bargreen 25% Barmalia 35% Barustic F4 BAR Trio 40% Barcrown 30% Viktorka 30% Barpearl F7 BAR 40 40% Barkoel 30% Barcrown 30% Hardtop F10 Hard Fescue 100% Hardtop F2 F3 BAR 22 30% Hardtop 15% Viktorka 20% Barcrown 20% Barswing 15% Barbirdie BAR Fairway 30% Barmalia 30% Barswing 35% Barsylvia 5% Highland F5 F6 Slender Creeping Red Fescue 100% Viktorka BAR Platinum 30% Bargold 25% Viktorka 25% Barpearl 20% Bargreen II F8 F9 Slender Creeping Red Fescue 100% Barcrown BAR 20 20% Hardtop 20% Barcrown 25% Barswing 35% Barsylvia F11 F12 BAR 2 20% Barcrown 20% Viktorka 15% Barswing 15% Bargreen II 10% 7FR 222 10% BarKing 10% Heriot BAR Fescue 25% Barcrown 25% Viktorka 20% Barswing 15% Bargreen II 15% 7FR 222 BALLYBUNION Links Golf Trial APPLICATION METHOD Nursery area prepared, consolidated, raked and marked prior to seeding. Trial Area: Two sections, (G) Greens Height; (F) Fairway/Tees Height 3 replications of each mixture, plot size 1.75 x 2m Sowing Rate: G 1 & 6: 9g per m2 G 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & F 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12 35g per m2 F 6: 40g per m2 Sowing Method: by hand at the recommend rate and depth BALLYBUNION Links Golf Trial Climate at Ballybunion During the year (17/08/2010 – 16/08/2011) trial period the climate at Ballybunion was recorded and the following notes the overlying results. The temperature during the period ranged from a high of 16 ̊C in August to a low of ‐2 ̊C in December, which is in stark contrast to the long term average (1994‐2012) of 6 ̊C in December. 1,100mm rainfall fell during the period, which was slightly (50mm) less than previous year but is about the average rainfall compared to previous years. BALLYBUNION Greens, Close Mown Trials (Mown at 4mm) Assessment
Consistent sward
Visual merit
Mean
Winter colour
Summer colour
Product
BAR FESCUE
VIKTORKA
BARCROWN
BAR 40
BAR 2
BAR TRIO
CHEWINGS FESCUE
BAR 22
BAR 1
HARDTOP
BAR DUO
BAR ALL BENT
Sward density
Greens trial code
G12
G5
G8
G7
G11
G4
G9
G2
G3
G10
G6
G1
Establishment
TRIAL SUMMARY 6.9
5.8
6.9
6.3
6.6
6.2
5.9
6.2
7.0
8.0
4.4
3.8
8.0
7.0
7.2
7.4
7.1
6.7
6.1
6.2
6.0
5.3
5.6
3.7
7.6
7.7
7.4
6.9
6.8
7.0
6.1
5.8
5.7
5.9
5.2
3.6
7.6
7.0
6.9
6.7
6.4
6.2
6.7
6.1
6.3
5.2
4.7
3.3
7.7
7.2
7.2
7.0
6.8
6.6
6.3
6.0
6.0
5.5
5.1
3.5
6.7
4.7
4.0
6.3
4.7
4.0
6.7
5.3
4.7
7.3
3.3
3.3
6.0
6.3
6.0
4.7
5.7
6.7
3.3
5.3
4.7
4.0
8.0
6.7
0‐10 weeks
6 months to 1 year
1st March 1st July BALLYBUNION Greens, Close Mown Trials (Mown at 4mm) TRIAL DATA BALLYBUNION Greens, Close Mown Trials (Mown at 4mm) BALLYBUNION Greens, Close Mown Trials (Mown at 4mm) BALLYBUNION Fairways, Tees Trials (Mown at 10mm) Assessment
Consistent sward
Visual merit
Mean
Winter colour
Summer colour
Product
BAR 2
VIKTORKA
BAR RUBRA
HARDTOP
BAR FESCUE
BAR 40
BAR TRIO
BAR PLATINUM
BARCROWN
BAR 20
BAR 22
BAR FAIRWAY
Sward density
Fairway trial code
F11
F5
F1
F10
F12
F7
F4
F6
F8
F9
F2
F3
Establishment
TRIAL SUMMARY 7.3
5.9
6.8
6.6
6.7
6.9
6.2
7.3
6.6
6.7
5.7
6.4
6.9
6.7
7.2
6.6
7.0
7.1
6.8
6.7
6.9
6.4
6.8
6.6
7.1
7.7
6.6
7.1
6.9
6.2
6.8
6.7
6.6
6.7
6.3
6.0
7.6
7.1
7.3
7.1
6.9
7.3
6.8
6.9
6.6
6.6
6.4
6.4
7.2
7.1
7.0
6.9
6.9
6.9
6.8
6.7
6.7
6.6
6.5
6.3
4.3
4.3
5.3
7.7
6.3
6.7
4.7
7.3
5.0
5.3
5.0
4.3
6.0
7.0
7.3
6.7
5.7
8.3
5.7
7.7
7.3
6.7
7.3
7.3
0‐10 weeks
6 months to 1 year
1st March 1st July BALLYBUNION Fairways, Tees Trials (Mown at 10mm) TRIAL DATA BALLYBUNION Fairways, Tees Trials (Mown at 10mm) BALLYBUNION Fairways, Tees Trials (Mown at 10mm)