PHOTO A: This photo might be easy to diagnose because it is something that each superintendent deals with at one time or another. But quite surprisingly, they deal with it in many different ways. The dark green line across the entire length of this par-5 fairway is the result of a hydraulic oil leak. A pressurized hose broke on the back of a five-gang hydraulic fairway mower, and since the leak happened on one of the rear units on the machine, the operator had no idea there was a problem until he got to the end of his pass. In the past, this superintendent had tried soaking oil spills with wetting agents but had little luck with that technique. On this occasion, he just let the area die, and two weeks later, applied divot mix, which was a combination of sand, seed and fertilizer. The area was completely healed over within four weeks of the leak.

Photo courtesy of Al Frantik, superintendent at the Links at Spring Church Golf Club in Apollo, Pa., and a 16-year GCSAA member.

PHOTO B: The two brown spots on this putting green are not a new type of disease, but instead the result of a cup cutting. After some investigative work, it was determined that an intern at the course was using a backpack sprayer to apply glyphosate around trees. Apparently while the intern was refilling the sprayer, some material spilled into the bed of the utility vehicle. The crew uses a canvas bag to store cup-cutting tools like the cup-puller, cup-setter, some topdressing and miscellaneous small tools. The canvas bag soaked up some of the glyphosate, and the next morning when the same vehicle was used to change cups, the tools left some damage when they were placed on the turf. Fortunately, the damage was minimal and the turf quickly recovered with a little overseeding.

Photo courtesy of Ed Fischer, CGCS at Old Elm Club in Highland Park, Ill., and a 39-year member of GCSAA.