30 years ago, the decision was made to start topdressing the greens here at MCC. At the time, the greens were "push-ups", or made from native soil. In fact, several greens (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13,17) have not been modified since the course was first built in 1916. Thought was given to rebuild all greens, but topdressing prevailed. Even during the most careful rebuild, green size and contours can be altered. The putting surface here at MCC is one of our best features, giving no reason to change them. Below the surface is a different matter.
Why do superintendents topdress? It seems counter intuitive to grow grass in sandy conditions, when loam or clay soils provide a better substrate for roots. Here are two main benefits of this practice.
- Sandy soils drain quicker. While more water has to be applied to keep turf from wilting, greens have better playability after precipitation events. They also do not hold water which decreases the chance of disease and anaerobic conditions.
- Firmer and smoother greens. Topdressing sand and sandy root zones allow for firmer greens, even when wet. Also, with this durability comes the ability to roll greens. Rolling, besides increasing green speed, also smooths the surface, allowing for a truer putt. Here at MCC, we roll our greens six times a week.
With almost 3 decades worth of topdressing on our greens we have built up a 4 inch sand layer. The majority of the layer is a dune sand, which was a bi-product of glass manufacturing. However, two years ago the mining of this sand stopped and we had to switch to a new source. Osburne Inc. stepped forward with a sand that fit all USGA Specifications and seemed a step up from our original dune sand. The individual particles in the Osburne sand are coarser, or larger, which allow for better drainage. The particles shape, sub angular, makes them fit together better which firms the green. Come June and July, we hope to see a huge improvements in terms of less ball marks, due to this particle shape.
30 years have come and gone and here at MCC we are reaping the benefits. Green speed is up, soggy greens are a thing of the past and ball marks will be few and far between. The process of topdressing can be tedious and annoying to the golfer but the rewards far outweigh the risks. Enjoy.
Here is a soil physical analysis of our greens. The high-lighted red figures are ones that are above USGA specs. They show that we have slightly too many "fine" sand particles in our green mix. This percentage will eventually decrease with the usage of our new topdressing sand from Osburn INC.
B.H.
100% saturation in soils deprives the roots of oxygen. O2 is essential for the metabolic process of aerobic respiration, a process that all living cells need to function. Without oxygen, the roots eventually decline and die, leaving the rest of the plant to the same fate. Poa annua, a notoriously shallow rooting plant, needs the cool growing season of spring to build up root mass to survive the hotter, drier summer months of July and August. 
