Water Management for Sustainable Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens.

Public pressure and constraints on the United States water supply will require changes in golf course putting green management.  Although putting greens only represent 3% of the total maintained turf area on United States golf courses, these areas represent some of the most input-intensive managed plant systems.  A field study was conducted investigating the effects of three irrigation methods on leachate quantity and quality, irrigation volumes, and putting green performance.  Plots consisted of USGA specification putting greens plumbed with plastic lysimeters and planted to A4 creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.).  Irrigation treatments consisted of daily replacement of 80% evapotranspiration, adjusting irrigation based on root depth, and utilizing soil moisture to schedule irrigation.  During 2010, data showed that irrigation based on soil moisture led to significantly greater irrigation and leachate volumes.  However this treatment also resulted in significantly less dollar spot during the growing season.  Localized dry spot was significantly greater on the soil moisture based irrigation treated plots on 9 out of 17 dates.  Preliminary data suggests that alternating between the three irrigation treatments during the growing season may lead to reduced water usage and better putting green performance.