PHOTO A: An irate golfer who just shot the worst round of his golfing career is not the reason this cup is heaved out of the ground; it is the result of black bear traffic. This golf course is located in the Florida panhandle, situated between a national forest and a national wildlife refuge, so there is a large population of black bears in the area. In addition, there is a large live oak tree behind this green, and in the fall the black bears travel back and forth across this green to snack on the acorns. The damage also happens on other greens, but this particular green seems to receive the most traffic. The superintendent is not sure if the bears don’t like the flag poles or if they just can’t see them as they saunter across the greens during the night when they are most active. On this particular night, the bears also knocked over two putting green flags, as well as this one on the 18th green. Other bear antics include tearing out limbs of newly planted oak trees and rolling trash cans down the street during the night.

Photo courtesy of Shane Bass, CGCS at St. James Bay Golf Course in Carrabelle, Fla., and a 13-year GCSAA member.

PHOTO B: These brown circles in front of Auburn University’s Comer Hall are not the result of a test plot or even an experiment gone awry. The brown circles on the Emerald zoysiagrass are the result of a football tailgate party. Prior to 9/11, pregame parking on campus was a free-for-all. Now vehicles are only allowed to park on the paved areas, but tailgaters can still congregate on the turf. The brown circles were caused by the lid of an extra-large dome-style barbecue grill that was laid down on the turf while the cook tended to the meat, and the heat damaged the zoysiagrass. In 1996, the ultimate grilling accident occurred when a tailgater placed a barbecue grill too close to the old Auburn Sports Arena during the LSU-Auburn game, setting the structure on fire. Scenes of the fire were captured by ESPN, with flames rising as high as the upper deck on the west side of Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game was never delayed, and the Auburn public address announcer continually advised fans not to worry, telling them the stadium itself was not on fire and the flames were outside the stadium.

Photo courtesy of Beth Guertal, professor of turfgrass management at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and a 10-year educator member of GCSAA.