Best Management Practices for Maryland Golf Courses

Pest Thresholds

IPM is commonly used in agricultural crop production, where the economic thresholds for key pests have been determined. Pest levels exceeding the site’s threshold warrant treatment. Using IPM is more challenging on golf courses than in an agricultural setting, as agricultural thresholds are based on crop yield whereas golf course thresholds are qualitative, involving turfgrass density and playability. Increased education of golfers and maintenance personnel can increase tolerance of minor aesthetic damage without compromising plant health, play, and overall aesthetics. These thresholds can be determined scientifically or based on site-specific experience.

Best Management Practices

• Establish threshold levels for key pests and document in the written IPM plan.

IPM Implementation

Management practices in each pest category can be utilized to prevent or reduce the amount of pest pressure on turfgrass. Biological controls or chemical controls may be required once pest thresholds are exceeded.

Disease

In the presence of a susceptible host and a conducive environment, plant pathogens can disrupt play by damaging and destroying intensely managed turf. While no measure can completely eliminate the threat of turfgrass disease on a golf course, turfgrass managers have multiple tactics and tools that can reduce the likelihood of disease. The most common cultural abuses that aggravate turf diseases include close and frequent mowing, poor drainage, excessive thatch, light and frequent irrigation, inadequate or excessive nitrogen fertilization, shade, and traffic. An example is summer patch, which is particularly damaging when turf is mowed too closely, given light and frequent irrigations, and fertilized with excessive amounts of nitrogen. The use of BMPs for cultural practices promotes healthy, well-managed turfgrass that is less likely to develop disease problems. Disease outbreaks that do occur are less likely to be severe on healthy turf because it has better recuperative potential than stressed, unhealthy turf.

For more information on the following turf diseases prevalent in Maryland and control methods, see:

• Maryland Turfgrass Disease Control Recommendations . 2010. University of Maryland. • Red Thread and Pink Patch Diseases of Turfgrasses . 2007. University of Maryland. • Identification and Management of Brown Patch . 2011. University of Maryland. • Dollar Spot Disease of Turfgrasses . 2003. University of Maryland. • Summer Patch Disease of Lawn Grasses . 2003. University of Maryland.

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