Solving Dollar Spot Disease at Alderney Golf Club with Exteris Stressgard
A stunning coastal golf course located on Alderney Island, the third largest of the Channel Islands, Alderney Golf Club is a haven for golf enthusiasts seeking both challenge and natural beauty. In recent years, the club faced a persistent threat to its greens in the form of Dollar Spot, a fungal disease notorious for its detrimental impact on turf health and playing performance.
Dollar spot causes small tanned spots about the size of a Dollar coin (Dollar Spot!) around 2 – 5cm in diameter. It is spread through small bits of mycelium moving to a new plant host. They move in water and can also be spread on shoes, golf equipment, and turf management equipment. Spots can typically coalesce which can wipe out large areas of turf.
At Alderney Golf Club, both Poa and Bent grasses contribute to the botanical sward composition. Unfortunately, Dollar Spot threatens both grass species and their susceptibility to the disease necessitated a targeted management approach.
Dollar Spot has plagued Alderney Golf Club for half a decade. Despite efforts to control it, the disease was historically initiated in June. In response to this challenge, Alderney Golf Club sought to find a solution that worked. After taking advice from Origin Amenity Solutions, the club implemented Exteris Stressgard, a fungicide designed to target dollar spot. They first applied it in mid-May with a follow-up application two weeks later. This pre-emptive approach aims to suppress the Dollar Spot before it gains momentum.
Maintaining a healthy plant is extremely important when managing Dollar Spot so the Course Manager Paul Flairclough focused on enhancing turf health. This is where Stressgard Formulation Technology (SFT) played its part. SFT is a proprietary innovation containing plant health compounds and turf specific pigment designed to enhance plant health and performance under stress conditions. It works by optimising photosynthesis, strengthening plant defences, and promoting overall resilience, resulting in improved growth, vigour, and disease resistance.
As autumn approached, Dollar Spot pressure continued due to the high humidity. Dedicate fungicide was applied with in September keeping the greens Dollar Spot free and prepared for any Microdochium Patch outbreaks that would often start in late September.
The success story of Alderney Golf Club stands as a testament to the power of strategic collaboration and innovation in turf management. By embracing cutting-edge solutions, the club not only conquered Dollar Spot but also elevated the overall quality of its greens. Today, Alderney Golf Club continues to shine as a beacon of resilience and excellence, offering an unrivalled experience amidst the unspoilt terrain of the Channel Islands.
Paul concludes, “Exteris worked extremely well on our golf course and we had good control over Dollar Spot for the first time in five years on this site. Due to the Stressgard technology, the grass was healthy and looking amazing.”
The images below show before and after treatment.
