SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/391471
14 SportsTurf | October 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com Field Science 4. Improved topdressing incorporation. As indicated earlier, topdressing is one of the many cultural prac- tices that athletic field management has adopted from the golf course industry. Sand topdressing needs to be incorporated into the root zone allowing it to serve its intended purpose beneath the canopy. No research has been performed specifically with athletic field rolling, but vibratory rolling after topdressing has been proven to be better for work- ing the sand into the soil profile. Performing your athletic field rolling following a topdressing appli- cation might very well add one more benefit. 3. Decreased dollar spot. One of the most impressive findings amongst the vast amount of research on rolling greens is the continued observation of decreased incidence of dollar spot. With the reason for this phenomenon being rather involved and somewhat intangible, the translation of this benefit to an athletic field setting currently stands at "to be determined" due to the current lack of dollar spot for athletic field rolling. 2. It's the economy (rolling/mowing frequency programs). Cost savings analyses of greens rolling have focused on a rolling/ mowing trade off in which labor, fuel, and maintenance costs are all considered. Alternating rolling and mowing, as opposed to mowing every day, is said to save time and money (both fuel and maintenance costs), while also improving wear tolerance and yielding similar green speeds. If comparable conditions can be replicated with this method on athletic fields, these cost savings could certainly be seen. This tactic could be particularly valuable on fields that do not receive play on a daily basis, and thus may not require a fresh mowing as often. 1. Increased customer satisfaction. The customer of a golf course, the golfer, is satisfied by many of the same things as the customer of an athletic field, the athlete. Both desire a smooth and consistent surface that will allow them to direct their con- cern toward their own performance rather than that of the turf. Routine lightweight rolling has been proven, through research and application, to help give golf course customers what they want. There is definitely some evidence that rolling can deliver the same to athletes. Now with all these potential benefits, what has prevented the majority of groundskeepers and field managers from joining this rolling revolution seen in golf over the last 20+ years? Just as was once the case in golf turf management, the concern that detrimental effects caused by consistent rolling will negate, or even eclipse, its benefits has caused many sports field managers to balk at the idea. Certainly the number one concern with consistent rolling of athletic fields is the potential for compaction, and rightfully so. A compacted field can create an unhealthy turf stand, as well as create poor drain- age and fields that are unplayable during any type of rainfall. Surface hardness (a measure of compaction) is being observed closely in all athletic field rolling studies at Michigan State. To date, there has been no statistical evidence of any significant compaction (Fig. 3), however if a field manager chooses to implement a routine rolling program, he/ she should do so with caution. Compaction is greatest when forces are applied to the wet ground, especially on fields with high silt/clay content and rolling should never be done on saturated soil. Additionally, on any field where frequent rolling occurs, regular core cultivation/aeration should also be done to counteract any potential compaction that may happen over time. Furthermore, rolling should be done with extreme caution during potential periods of stress on the turf. Rolling during drought, heat, cold, or disease stress will only intensify or spread the negative effects incurred during these harsh conditions. Overall, the evidence to support rolling golf course greens is strong and rarely debated. However, there currently just seems to not be enough research and experience for most athletic field managers to follow their superintendent counterparts in this practice. Early research is beginning to show that routine rolling of athletic fields is worth looking into, with more research and in every day practice. Only then will we get the chance to see this cultural practice roll through the door, fashionably late. ■ Nick Binder is a Crop and Soil Science graduate student working under Dr. Thomas Nikolai at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Figure 2. Plots rolled five times per week were found to be faster than plots that were not rolled. Figure 3. There has been no statistical evidence of any significant compaction.