So a week has now passed and the results are in for my alternate cutting and daily rolling study!
As can be seen from the above chart Cutting and rolling produced the fastest green speed at about 9.5'-10'. Only rolling produced speeds of about 9.5' and cutting only produced speeds of about 8'-9'.
The actual speeds that were achieved this last week are less important than the difference in speed that resulted from the different cultural practices that were done to the greens. Cutting and rolling produced the fastest greens and only cutting produced the slowest. Rolling only produced green speeds that weren't significantly different than either Cutting and Rolling or Cutting only.
So from this short, unscientific, probably flawed study I can conclude that if you have an option, Roll every day, Cut every other day. Time will tell me how true this last statement is.
For this experiment my Toro 3100 with single point adjustment heads, 11 blade reels was set at 0.110" I rolled using a Greensiron 3000 with a mechanical drive. I have predominately Poa annua greens with about 10% Creeping Bent.
Aside from the performance benefits of cutting cutting every other day and rolling daily you will also save wear and tear on your greens mower and you turf will be less stressed. Cutting half as much will theoretically save you half on greens mower maintenance. Mowing is arguably the most stressful cultural practice that we routinely use on our putting greens. Less cutting will result in healthier turf that will require less fertility, pesticides and water. Some might say that daily rolling will stress out the turf but if you utilize a lightweight roller the ground compaction to the soil would be about as much as a golfer makes.
Don't take my word for it though, go and try it out and let me know how it went.
As can be seen from the above chart Cutting and rolling produced the fastest green speed at about 9.5'-10'. Only rolling produced speeds of about 9.5' and cutting only produced speeds of about 8'-9'.
The actual speeds that were achieved this last week are less important than the difference in speed that resulted from the different cultural practices that were done to the greens. Cutting and rolling produced the fastest greens and only cutting produced the slowest. Rolling only produced green speeds that weren't significantly different than either Cutting and Rolling or Cutting only.
So from this short, unscientific, probably flawed study I can conclude that if you have an option, Roll every day, Cut every other day. Time will tell me how true this last statement is.
For this experiment my Toro 3100 with single point adjustment heads, 11 blade reels was set at 0.110" I rolled using a Greensiron 3000 with a mechanical drive. I have predominately Poa annua greens with about 10% Creeping Bent.
Aside from the performance benefits of cutting cutting every other day and rolling daily you will also save wear and tear on your greens mower and you turf will be less stressed. Cutting half as much will theoretically save you half on greens mower maintenance. Mowing is arguably the most stressful cultural practice that we routinely use on our putting greens. Less cutting will result in healthier turf that will require less fertility, pesticides and water. Some might say that daily rolling will stress out the turf but if you utilize a lightweight roller the ground compaction to the soil would be about as much as a golfer makes.
Don't take my word for it though, go and try it out and let me know how it went.