PHOTO B: The brown spots every 60 feet on this fairway were a result of the end-of-the-year irrigation line draining process. As with many northern golf courses, irrigation lines are drained and then an industrial-grade air compressor is used to blow out the lines in low areas to prevent winter damage from the freezing of the water that remains in the pipes. Since the rental compressor models vary from year to year, it was not noticed that the muffler was pointing down at the turf on this model. As the compressor was connected to each head and then moved from head to head down the fairway, the hot exhaust blew down on the Kentucky bluegrass, causing these brown spots. Fortunately, the assistant superintendent saw the spots the next day, and only a few holes had been completed. For the remainder of the course, they used a piece of plywood to shield the turf from the exhaust. The turf recovered fine from the brown spots.

Photo submitted by Mike Baty, the assistant superintendent at Grizzly Ranch Golf Club in Portola, Calif., and a six-year member of GCSAA. The Class A superintendent at Grizzly Ranch is Rich Scholes, a 31-year member of the association.