28 SportsTurf | June 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com
Facility & Operations | By Michael Buras, CSFM
S
afety, playability and aesthetics are the
objectives of the sports turf manager. The
single best way to achieve these three goals is
having grass cover. Healthy, dense turfgrass
goes a long way in assuring a field that is safe
for the athletes, plays well and looks great. Detrimental to
achieving an outstanding playing surface is wear, whether
it is on a municipal field or at a professional stadium.
Heavy wear affects footing, field hardness, consistency and
aesthetics. Conquer wear and many problems are solved.
Obviously limiting play is number one in combating wear,
but beyond that what makes the difference?
Last summer I was fortunate to have travelled to the
United Kingdom to further my turf management educa-
tion. The trip confirmed the deep-rooted concepts on turf
management that many of us have been taught. Despite
this training, we sometimes pay attention to the fringes
of turf management, chasing problems with technology
fixes and losing sight of what matters most. The basics
are what matter when it comes to fighting wear. Growing
environment, soil, species and cultivar selection: these are
the foundations for fighting wear. They are more impor-
tant than critical cultural practices. Yes, we need to irrigate
properly, aerate, overseed, verticut and fertilize because of
their importance, but the basics make the difference.
My first stop in England was at the Sports Turf Research
A "bASic" Trip OverSeAS
reveAlS whAT mATTerS
in TurF cAre
The Yorkshire
Dales.
