Product DescriptionThis newly revised edition of the original best seller has hundreds of helpful tips that you can use every day! Practical information, presented in a step-by-step format, includes critical, up-to-date advice on maintaining consistent bunkers, sand topdressing and aerifying, using pesticides and fertilizers safely and effectively, irrigation principles and techniques, mowing techniques for greens, fairways, and tees, and much more. The authors have given seminars all over the world, and now they are passing on their considerable expertise to you, including the latest on the use of emerging technologies.
What Others Say
Great book for the Beginning Greenskeeper
A couple of years ago, I purchased a small golf course in California. I knew nothing about how to keep a golf course in good shape much less improve it. When my superintendent quit, I was up the proverbial creek. I turned to Practical Golf Course Maintenance: The Magic of Greenkeeping for help. It is a great book for those who have had minimal or no exposure to how to keep up the various parts (green, tee boxes, fairways, rough, bunkers, etc.) of a golf course. While I probably won't act as superintendent for very long, I feel armed now with basic greenkeeping knowledge, and it is recommended (and soon to be required) reading for all of my course and clubhouse workers.
Good. VERY Good.
While perhaps limited to the basics, Witteveen's text is well organized and comprehensive enough to assure that I'll achieve my professional goal of being promoted from Assistant Greenskeeper to Head Greenskeeper within 6 years. In fact, in my opinion, it's on par with Chuck Shick's seminal treatise on the subject. One nitpicky point is that the treatment of cinch bugs, manganese, nitrogen and gophers (and other varmint menaces to the golfing industry) is far too brief. Also, more advanced topics such as the theory and practice of inventing your own type of grass would be welcome. Overall, though, it is top notch!
No Magic Here
Practical Golf Course Maintenance: The Magic of Greenkeeping is best suited for the first-time greenskeeper or a greens committee member. It contains basic processes such as top-dressing and stays away from specifics like optimal mower height settings for greens. In addition, Practical Golf Course Maintenance: The Magic of Greenkeeping stays away from prescribing remidies for such things as excessive thatch buildup or constant fungus problems. If all you want are the very basics in management practices then buy Practical Golf Course Maintenance: The Magic of Greenkeeping. If you are searching for innovative and detailed turf management applications then you will need to supplement Practical Golf Course Maintenance: The Magic of Greenkeeping with other references.
