Promethus wrote:

You do not rember correctly.

You don't sprell colectly.

WiGard wrote:

Even if you go jump all the hoops on the way to green construction, have
you decided on greens fees yet? They are important so you have enough
income to support your greenskeeping endeavors. Next will be the expense
of a pro shop and someone to run it. Pretty soon you'll have to consider
a clubhouse or at least a stand so duffers can buy their libations and
talk smart.

Come to think of it, you don't need two holes, just one, the 19th.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

Now if you were going to set up for Field Archery it would be so much easier

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 23:22:38 +0000, David Hill wrote:

Now if you were going to set up for Field Archery it would be so much
easier


You bring the arrows. I'll supply the rabbits.

Now if you were going to set up for Field Archery it would be so much easier

I'm a fan, but errant arrows can be a real pain for neighbours...."Mrs Smith,
remember that dog you used to have...........

"Dwight Sipler" wrote in message
...
James wrote:

I live on a few acres and had a somewhat silly idea of constructing a
two
hole golf course. I don't even play golf on any regular basis but
thought it
might be an interesting project. But how does one go about making a
green?
If it's too complicated or expensive I'll think up another silly project
but
thought I would pose the question anyway. Anyone?




I don't play golf, but it seems to me the greens are the most work of
your whole project. They have to be kept short and very uniform. Rolling
them and mowing them is a 3-4 times a week job. The roller and greens
mower are probably the most expensive part of the project.

You will probably attract a lot of friends to your course. If you try to
charge for your services you may run afoul of local zoning regulations,
but you might get your new friends to pitch in on the maintenance
(buying an interest in the mower and doing the greens maintenance on
Tuesdays or Thursdays or something like that.)

Everyone needs a project to keep them out of the house. Go for it.

I think I've been talked out of it. There was nothing commercial in mind and
the maintenance sounds prohibitive. Maybe the croquet court would be more
manageable.

The message
from Dwight Sipler contains these words:

James wrote:

I live on a few acres and had a somewhat silly idea of constructing a two
hole golf course. I don't even play golf on any regular basis but
thought it
might be an interesting project. But how does one go about making a green?
If it's too complicated or expensive I'll think up another silly
project but
thought I would pose the question anyway. Anyone?

At various times in years past our kids made themselves a golfcourse,
football pitch, croquet lawn, badminton court and a swing-ball stance,
all on less than 4 acres. A child-propelled push-mower played a major
part in turning rough hill grazing into lawn. We encouraged their
interest in sports turf maintenance as much as possible, even going so
far as to save dogfood tins which they sunk in the grass as putt-holes,
and helping them find golfclubs in jumble sales. You'd be surprised how
many of our adult friends spent hours playing in our garden.

Go for it; you don't need to look for golfcourse standards, you can
work the drives and greens around plantations of trees and shrubs etc,
and you and your friends will have a lot of fun.

Janet. (Scotland)

James wrote:

...I think I've been talked out of it. There was nothing commercial in mind and
the maintenance sounds prohibitive. Maybe the croquet court would be more
manageable.




The maintenance really depends on just how uptight you are about your
greens. You can do a test patch with a push mower and see how much work
it is. Get some friends to help out. Probably worth a try for a year at
least, then you can decide.

Croquet courts also need rolling. Hardcore croquet players get really
uptight about it, but the garden variety lawn game is much less formal.
There's a really big difference between the lawn croquet and the
competitive brand. We had a croquet team at work for a while: whites,
handmade mallets, cast iron wickets, etc.

James wrote:

...I think I've been talked out of it. There was nothing commercial in mind and
the maintenance sounds prohibitive. Maybe the croquet court would be more
manageable.




The maintenance really depends on just how uptight you are about your
greens. You can do a test patch with a push mower and see how much work
it is. Get some friends to help out. Probably worth a try for a year at
least, then you can decide.

Croquet courts also need rolling. Hardcore croquet players get really
uptight about it, but the garden variety lawn game is much less formal.
There's a really big difference between the lawn croquet and the
competitive brand. We had a croquet team at work for a while: whites,
handmade mallets, cast iron wickets, etc.

James wrote:

I live on a few acres and had a somewhat silly idea of constructing a two
hole golf course. I don't even play golf on any regular basis but thought it
might be an interesting project. But how does one go about making a green?
If it's too complicated or expensive I'll think up another silly project but
thought I would pose the question anyway. Anyone?




I don't play golf, but it seems to me the greens are the most work of
your whole project. They have to be kept short and very uniform. Rolling
them and mowing them is a 3-4 times a week job. The roller and greens
mower are probably the most expensive part of the project.

You will probably attract a lot of friends to your course. If you try to
charge for your services you may run afoul of local zoning regulations,
but you might get your new friends to pitch in on the maintenance
(buying an interest in the mower and doing the greens maintenance on
Tuesdays or Thursdays or something like that.)

Everyone needs a project to keep them out of the house. Go for it.

"James" wrote in message .. .
I live on a few acres and had a somewhat silly idea of constructing a two
hole golf course. I don't even play golf on any regular basis but thought it
might be an interesting project. But how does one go about making a green?
If it's too complicated or expensive I'll think up another silly project but
thought I would pose the question anyway. Anyone?

Golf greens are high maintenance. Bentgrass and bermudagrass are the
two most popular grasses used. Which you use is dependant on the zone
you live in.
Bentgrass is a cool season grass that stays green all year, but if
temperatures reach 85 degrees you must syringe (spray with water) the
green 3 or more times in a day to keep it alive. Bentgrass is used as
far south as Pinehurst, NC (zone 7b). At the Pinehurst golf courses
they use huge fans for air circulation on certain greens and syringe
all greens throught the summer months. By August the root system is so
shallow that they have to use liquid fertalizer just to provide enough
nutriant to get to the next cool season. Bermudagrass(hybrid is best)
is a warm season grass that will grow as far north as zone 7a. It goes
dormant in the winter and must be overseeded with rye. It is extremely
heat tolerant(less watering) and durable but poor in shade. Both bent
and bermuda must be cut with a real mower at least 4 times a weak to
prevent burning of the foliage. If you really want to get fancy
excavate soil and replace with 85% peat 15% sand(PGA specs). I
strongly advice against a golf green.

barrett wrote:

Both bent and bermuda must be cut with a real mower at least 4 times a weak to
prevent burning of the foliage.

Not true. Not even half true by any stretch of the imagination.


If you really want to get fancy
excavate soil and replace with 85% peat 15% sand(PGA specs).

PGA has no specs for golf greens. USGA, however, recommends 85% SAND
and 15% PEAT, but it only meets specs if it has a perched water table.

You were kinda making sense until you got to the end.

On Tue, 17 Feb 2004 17:19:27 GMT, Janet Baraclough ..
wrote:

James wrote:

I live on a few acres and had a somewhat silly idea of constructing a two
hole golf course. I don't even play golf on any regular basis but
thought it
might be an interesting project.

At various times in years past our kids made themselves a golfcourse,
football pitch, croquet lawn, badminton court and a swing-ball stance,
all on less than 4 acres. A child-propelled push-mower played a major
part in turning rough hill grazing into lawn. We encouraged their
interest in sports turf maintenance as much as possible,

What a good idea. I hadn't looked at it from that angle, but giving
the project over to kids, particularly the maintenance, sounds
terrific. And interesting.

Promethus wrote in message ...
J. Del Col wrote:
WiGard wrote in message ...

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 22:55:21 -0500, James wrote:


I live on a few acres and had a somewhat silly idea of constructing a two
hole golf course. I don't even play golf on any regular basis but thought
it might be an interesting project. But how does one go about making a
green? If it's too complicated or expensive I'll think up another silly
project but thought I would pose the question anyway. Anyone?


I bet if you went to the nearest country club and talked with the person
in charge of that course, you'd learn more than you care to about green
construction and care. It is a particular type of grass which has to be
kept extremely short to survive. Then there's the matter of watering
requirements as well as nutrition. If I recall, golf course turfgrass is
chemically treated and daily maintained to achieve its outstanding
appearance. To cut the grass short will require a specialized mower, one
which is thus designed.




And the sand traps are frequently treated with total vegetation killers, IIRC.

J. Del Col

You do not rember correctly.

Before the advent of plastic liners, the practice was to use
vegetation killers. My dad was an avid golfer for 40 years, and I
used to accompany him. From time to time the sand traps at the various
courses he played reeked of chemicals.


Plantproof liners of one kind or another are used today.


J. Del Col

Promethus wrote in message ...
J. Del Col wrote:
WiGard wrote in message ...

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 22:55:21 -0500, James wrote:


I live on a few acres and had a somewhat silly idea of constructing a two
hole golf course. I don't even play golf on any regular basis but thought
it might be an interesting project. But how does one go about making a
green? If it's too complicated or expensive I'll think up another silly
project but thought I would pose the question anyway. Anyone?


I bet if you went to the nearest country club and talked with the person
in charge of that course, you'd learn more than you care to about green
construction and care. It is a particular type of grass which has to be
kept extremely short to survive. Then there's the matter of watering
requirements as well as nutrition. If I recall, golf course turfgrass is
chemically treated and daily maintained to achieve its outstanding
appearance. To cut the grass short will require a specialized mower, one
which is thus designed.




And the sand traps are frequently treated with total vegetation killers, IIRC.

J. Del Col

You do not rember correctly.

Before the advent of plastic liners, the practice was to use
vegetation killers. My dad was an avid golfer for 40 years, and I
used to accompany him. From time to time the sand traps at the various
courses he played reeked of chemicals.


Plantproof liners of one kind or another are used today.


J. Del Col