Over the last week in class we have covered the methods for identifying some of the main grass species found on golf courses in North America. I have really enjoyed this because back in 2013 when I attended Lethbridge College, we did similar work only with trees and shrubs. Once we started looking at the dichotomous key, some of my experience came flooding back, all things I had completely forgotten about.
I am enjoying this experience much more than my first time learning to identify vegetation because of the experience on a golf course and understanding how important it is to be able to spot the different grass species in different areas of the course. throughout the week I have become more and more excited to go back to work and start documenting the types of grasses we use in specific areas and understanding why we use them in such areas.
This topic is extremely important in golf course maintenance because of the major differences between grasses and understanding why you would use them in a polystand seed blend, depending on the different areas you would be seeding. Understanding the characteristics of each grass and why it is important to use multiple species in the same area ie. a fairway that has a large amount of shade vs areas that have very limited shade. Having this knowledge can save your course money by using the appropriate blend to promote the best grass species for your need.
Matt's Reflective Journal 