Conference 7.286::golf

    Frankly, that's like asking "What color is the sky ?" There are a LOT
    of variables, so can you be more specific ?
    
    --Jack

    OK, what I'm interested in knowing is given a tract of land, how
    much would it cost to convert it into a golf course.  I figured that
    the greens are one of the most expensive part of developing a golf
    course.  Other costly items I can think of are the sprinkler systems,
    clearing of land, tilling and seeding, paying a professional to develop
    a course layout, any others? 
    
    So to get an idea of the magnitude of costs involved, starting with
    installing greens what's the going rate for company XYZ to come in
    and install say one 50' diameter green? 
    
    George

    For example, I once heard that greens cost about $30k to
    install and I was wondering how accurate this estimate was.

    
    
    	I had always wanted a putting green in my backyard, sooooo, last
    year I seriously looked at the cost of building one.  Excluding the
    cost of equipment to dig, move, level, contour, etc., just the cost
    of materials, ( gravel(s), sand, rice hull mulch, and top soil ),
    the mower ( the best hand pushed reel mower ), and a simple 4 head
    sprinkler system, I was at $42,000.  That was for a 52 x 48 contoured
    green.  Without the contouring it was $30,000.
    
    	I settled for roto-tilling an area that drained well ( high ground
    that I crowned slightly ), mixed sand, rice hull mulch, and then seeded
    the h*ll out of it.  I watered, watered, watered.....  I cut, cut, cut
    and cut grass.  The surface was good, no matter how I rolled it and
    cut it, it was a little bumpy to putt on.  Fine for most Public courses
    but this labor of love became a headache.  I had to care for it more
    than I could practice on it. ( I got good a hitting sand wedges over
    the garage.  Sort of matched my game....trying to hit a green I can't 
    see.... ).  Now, the back yard has a funny patch of grass in the
    middle of the St. Augustine.
    
    
    	Cost of builing an 18 hole course runs around three million on up.
    The does not include the cost of the land!

    
    There was a article in Golf Digest about 10 years ago on how to build a
    practice green. Needless to say it was very expensive. If you did it
    yourself, you could cut down the cost drastically, but it'll still cost
    you in the thousands.
    
    Mike

    The 30k figure is about right.  Usually they are not sodded.  They are
    built on a bed of gravel and sand with a heavy cost for the draininage
    and watering system.  Even more expensive nowdays, because companies
    are using fresh water for the greens and reclaimed water for the
    fairways...two separate systems.  They even have moisture sensers built
    into the greens.  
    
    About 8 years ago, a course here in town either used to much fertilizer
    or misread the bag and used defoliant...but, they killed all 18 greens.
    Needless to say, the greens keeper was fired and the course is just now 
    coming back to its old form.  They rebuilt every green...estimated then 
    at 20-25k per.
    
    SCD
    

�    About 8 years ago, a course here in town either used to much fertilizer
�    or misread the bag and used defoliant...but, they killed all 18 greens.
�    Needless to say, the greens keeper was fired and the course is just now 

Indeed!  That was pretty careless.  I know there are some chemicals that
should not be used with bent grass (or bermuda grass or whatever your
favorite course uses for greens).  Some places uses bent for their tees
and a combination of bent and rye for their fairways.  You need to watch
what chemicals you use on the tees and fariways too!

All the turfgrass chemicals I have seen come with the WARNING and tell
you which grasses it is safe to use on.  And sometimes the labels will
say "Danger Will Robinson, don't use this on bentgrass..."

Mike

    
    	It may sound laughable, but, the Diazinon ( fire ant killer, etc. )
    was tough on my back yard green.  But putting through fire ants is not
    exactly the thing to do.  I always let them play through! 

    Does anyone know if they sell bent or Bermuda grass seed in 
    local (Mass.) stores. I have a friend that is trying to put a makeshift
    "green" in his backyard and can't seem to find any seed.

    I purchased by seed at Blue Seal in Concord N.H.   You should
    definitely ask for seed from a broken bag otherwise you may spend in
    the neighborhood of $200-$300 for a 50 pound bag(that amount would
    accomodate the fornt nine!).  I ended up paying about $2.50/lb. for 
    15 lbs. and this more than enough to densely cover my 35' x 50'
    practice green.  I believe the brand was called Colonial Bent.  This
    will adequate as I migrate thru overseeding to Providence Bent(a new 
    type, expensive, but a dream to play I here.