Building a Better Green

South Carolina is second only to Florida as the nation's top golf destination, with more than 9.4 million rounds played each year.

To maintain green conditions at Clemson's Walker Golf Course, researchers are currently using a SubAir system to moderate subsurface temperatures during the winter and summer months. According to turf-grass student Keith Lucas, the SubAir system is most beneficial for extreme conditions "because it allows you to control the subsurface environment of the green by sucking out the excess air and moisture."

By controlling the gas concentrations, moisture and temperature within the root zone of the soil, this method creates optimum root zone conditions, allowing for denser, deeper-growing root masses.

Clemson's interdisciplinary turf-grass team works with the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association to help green managers keep up with that level of usage.

Expansion of the program began in 1989, under the guidance of Bruce Martin, with the establishment of several acres of research plots on Clemson's native soil. Today, in addition to having over 200,000 square feet of irrigated turf-grass plots on campus, including bentgrass and Bermuda greens constructed to United States Golf Association specifications, Clemson also has a partnership with the Pee Dee Research Center located in Florence.

Due to the variability of South Carolina's weather, artificial methods of macro and microclimate control have become more crucial than ever in maintaining healthy golf courses.

For more information, contact Martin, (864) 656-1968, brucem@clemson.edu.