PHOTO A: The straight lines and semicircular patterns of off-colored turf were caused by a 3,000-pound vibratory roller. The newly constructed golf course had some incredibly challenging contours when construction was completed. Unfortunately, some of the contours couldn’t be mowed without scalping the grass, so the superintendent, the on-site architect and the designer agreed to mellow out some features on the greens. On seven of the worst greens, the superintendent heavily aerified the most objectionable mounds and removed the cores. Next, they rolled and vibrated the areas with an industrial-style vibratory roller. The weight of the machine along with the turning and tearing motion of the rollers created the bruises you see in the first picture. The bruises disappeared in a couple of days. The experiment worked to an extent, but some of the really bad undulations will probably be addressed with light, frequent hand topdressing along the bottoms of some of the features to try and get them to broaden out a little more. Obviously, though, this is a long-term, time-consuming process.

Photo submitted by Sam Reznicek, the assistant superintendent at the Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Mont., and an eight-year GCSAA member. Mike Wilcynski, a nine-year member of GCSAA, is the Class A superintendent.

PHOTO B: The holes in this green are a result of mischievous squirrels. This picture is one of those “me too” photos of a situation that almost every superintendent has to deal with at one time or another. Since squirrels populate most of the world, they inevitably find golf course greens as an irresistible place to dig. We are not sure if squirrels hate golf balls or are simply attracted by the nice turf, the green color and the soft soil. At this particular golf course, the superintendent was perplexed by the squirrels digging into a green with no oak trees or acorns around the area. It seemed that the search for ways to avoid the wrath of the squirrels is as varied as the damage the little varmints cause. Prescribed remedies also vary from purchasing Jack Russell terriers, border collies and several other dog breeds to using deer repellants, erecting red fences, employing rubber snakes and fake owls and even resorting to fireworks.

Photo courtesy of Michael J. Sullivan, the Class A superintendent at Brennan Municipal Golf Course in Stamford, Conn., and a 21-year member of GCSAA.