Green rebuilding methods

From time to time, I see confusion among greens committees on green reconstruction. They may have heard that Tiddly Links Country Club “rebuilt” their greens for only $300,000, and their architect is proposing “rebuilding their greens” at Massive Heart Attack Club for over $3 million.

The confusion stems from the fact that there are many different ways to rebuild greens, each with its own price level.
 

Turf Replacement

• Interseeding (Greens may even stay in play)
  • Aerify and remove plugs
  • Place seed/sand mixture back in holes
  • Multiple processes eventually converts green to new selection
• No-till method
  • Kill existing turf with Roundup or equal
  • Rototill turf to remove, discard
  • Add 1–2 inches of same greens material to replace any lost with turf
  • Plant with new and improved turf, without any greens modifications
• Partial greens mix replacement/modifications — an opportunity to:
  • Kill existing turf with Roundup or equal
  • Remove top 4–6 inches of mix (including thatch and roots), discard
  • Replace with similar replacement mix (as close as is available)
  • Rototill old and new mix together for consistent blend throughout top 10 inches (Taking care not to disturb gravel layer)
  • Change contours 1–2 inches up or down with mix depth to soften contours, if necessary
  • Plant with new and improved turf
    
     

Soil and Drainage Replacement for Agronomic Improvements (Green and Collar Only)

• Provide complete new growing medium by removing/replacing:
  • Kill existing turf with Roundup or equal
  • Rototill turf to remove, discard
  • Remove all 12 inches of greens mix (if substandard), and tie off any drainage
  • Restore green core or
  • Opportunity to cut new green core and:
    • Expand/enlarge green surfaces, but must tie into collar/banks to minimize cost
    • Rebuild green to USGA or other standards with:
      • Gravel, choker and drainage layers
      • Make contour changes as desired and required from ground up.
  • Add to/replace 4-inch tile drainage
  • Replace irrigation in best new locations
  • Re-turf green and collars with seed, sprigs, sod or combination of each.
    
     

Design Improvements to Putting Surface and Surrounding Hazards

• Provide complete new growing medium on green and totally new green surrounds to similar or totally different design.
  • Strip sod and topsoil on ¼ to ¾ acres around green (Typically out to path, re-use sod if possible for other course repairs)
  • Remove existing greens mix and bunker sand (Re-use for fairway or rough topdressing, tee sand capping, if possible)
  • Import fill to build green or reshape existing material with bulldozer to new design
  • Build USGA or similar green as above
  • Place drainage, liners and sand in any new bunkers
  • Seed green, sod remainder for quickest maturation time (Possible to seed/sprig if budget is limited, but extends grow time, increases risk)
     

As can be seen, these vastly different programs also have vastly different price tags. Based on my most recent projects, 18–20 (including putting and chipping greens) greens, totaling 130,000 square feet, can be rebuilt for these approximate numbers, subject to a wide range of material costs in different areas of the country:

Interseeding: Usually within club budget, no outside help

Turf replacement: No-till - $1–$1.50 per square foot - $135,000–$200,000

Turf replacement: Remove/replace top 4–6 inches of mix $1.75–$2.25 per square foot – $225,000–$290,000

Full California-style greens reconstruction: $2.25–$3.50 per square foot - $290,000–$455,000

Full USGA recommended method reconstruction: $4.25–$6.00 per square foot - $550,000–$780,000

Full USGA recommended method reconstruction plus green surrounds: Add $6–8 per square foot for $10.25–$14.00 per square foot, or $1.35 million–$1.825 million

It is easy to see why some projects seem outrageously expensive, or cheap, if you don’t know the particulars involved. It is also easy to see some confusion about what method to pick. In general, your choice is based on:

• Agronomic analysis from your superintendent and agronomic consultant, if necessary
• Business goals established by your club (agronomic marketing consultant, if applicable)
• Design problems identified by your golf course architect.
   

The most expensive part of greens reconstruction is importing suitable top mix and choker layer sand, gravel and installing drain tile at $4.25–$10 per square foot for USGA greens. Re-designing the surrounding areas at least doubles the cost of rebuilding just the green surface itself, but presents opportunities to improve green surrounds and maintenance via an entirely new design, and may be necessary to meet ADA, environmental or sustainability requirements, or to help you rebrand the course for business reasons.

In general, you want to spend as little as possible to fix your problems, but just enough to do it right. With greens in particular, you don’t want to go too far in cutting corners, although there is some debate as to whether California Greens is “cutting corners” over the more expensive USGA recommended method. For that matter, most of us consultant types generally frown upon less than complete rebuilding, because we fear less predictable results. That said, there are many courses out there more than happy with their new no-till greens and the problems — usually that older turf varieties are not completely killed off and may return — don’t seem to matter to them. At low-budget courses, perfection is usually an unnecessary luxury.

In the right situation, all of these rebuilding types might be appropriate. In the last few years, I have performed green resurfacing at costs similar to above. When the course reopened, play and revenues were up 27 percent and the return on investment was a stout 440 percent. Given how important good greens are, just improving the putting paid off handsomely. A nearby course underwent a total, $3 million renovation and rebranding, which doubled revenues for a total return of 53 percent. More total revenue increase, at greater construction cost. Both obviously fit the need and improved business for the course.

There are many ways to improve your greens, and one is probably best for your situation.

Jeffrey D. Brauer is a veteran golf course architect responsible for more than 50 new courses and more than 100 renovations.  A member and past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, he is president of Jeffrey D. Brauer/GolfScapes in Arlington, Texas. Reach him at jeff@jeffreydbrauer.com.