Southern Star golf course has reopened after a three-month battle with nematodes, a tiny parasitic roundworm that often lives in the soil.
The nine-hole executive course in the Village of St. James was scheduled to reopen May 31 after routine maintenance, but soil testing discovered a high level of nematodes on some greens. The nematodes contributed to a overall poor seasonal transition for the course.
The course finally reopened in late August, although the seventh green still needs improvement.
Nematodes attack turf grass even on well-maintained greens and problems with them are common on Florida golf courses. Up to 20,000 nematodes can be found in one pint of infested soil.
“Of all the pests that commonly affect golf course turf in Florida, nematodes are probably the least understood and the most difficult to manage,” writes William Crow, an associate professor at the University of Florida Extension, in a paper on the subject. “Nematode problems are more common and more severe in Florida than in most other states because our climate and soils provide a perfect habitat for many of the most destructive nematode species.”
Not all nematodes are harmful, but the parasitic varieties feed on grass roots and inhibit the ability of the roots to absorb water and nutrients. Since they are microscopic, the only way to reveal a nematode problem is with a lab soil test.
Nematode infestations can be resisted through higher mowing heights and deeper, infrequent watering, which results in deeper root systems. Chemicals also can be applied to kill nematodes.
Southern Star opened in 2011, next door to the Yankee Clipper course.
