Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club

The Right Blend Pendimethalin + Fertilizer Strengthens Turf and Relieves Weed Pressure

Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club superintendent Scott Poynot once aspired to be a golf course professional. While studying for his master’s degree in civil engineering at Louisiana Technical College, he began working summers at the school’s golf course— eventually learning and loving the game of golf. He applied for and was accepted to the professional golf management program at Mississippi State University, but a restriction on the number of credit hours that would transfer to the program would have extended his college career much longer than he wanted. Frustrated, but determined to take advantage of his newfound interest in working hands-on in the outdoors, Poynot decided to pursue a turfgrass management career instead.

It was a decision that Poynot does not regret. Since 2003, he has been superintendent at the prestigious Le Triomphe Golf and Country Club in Broussard, La., home to the Chitimacha Open and widely regarded among the best stops on the PGA Nationwide Tour. "I’m not in this career for fame or fortune," said Poynot. "I do this for the environment. I like seeing the sun rise, I like seeing what the course looks like at the start of a good day and at the end of a good day."

Originally constructed in 1985, Le Triomphe is a private, 18-hole championship course where golfers enjoy more than 28,000 rounds annually. In 2003, a series of design updates and renovations enhanced the course’s adherence to professional standards, including the addition of thirteen tees to lengthen the course, greens built to USGA specifi cations and the installation of Tifdwarf Bermudagrass on putting surfaces.

Guided by nine years of experience as a superintendent, Poynot manages the course with a 16-person crew. His major challenges are dealing with regional weed pressure, maintaining the course at tournament-level status, and controlling the armyworms that seasonally feast on the course’s Bermudagrass.

"I definitely talk shop with other superintendents in my area," said Poynot. "I also learned a great deal from having the opportunity to work for several very good superintendents before becoming a superintendent myself." Poynot put his knowledge of best practices to use when he began his work at Le Triomphe in 2003 and faced a less-than-stellar course in terms of weed growth.

"When I first got here in May, I’d never seen as many weeds on a golf course as I saw then. This area has an unusually high weed pressure."

The main culprits: Poa annua sprouting in the fall and crabgrass and goosegrass developing in late spring and summer on the Bermudagrass of Le Triomphe’s fairways and roughs. With up to 10% of the course’s turf comprised of weeds, the turf appeared thin and inconsistent.

From previous experience, including success with the product at Mississippi State University and his former courses, Poynot knew that Pendulum® herbicide was the answer. Pendulum is a preemergent herbicide that controls crabgrass as well as a broad spectrum of more than 40 grassy and broadleaf weeds. The active ingredient, pendimethalin, controls weeds at germination, and Pendulum is available in sprayable, granular and encapsulated formulations.

Poynot incorporated BASF Pendulum on a fertilizer carrier, a popular combination that prevents weeds and strengthens turf with a single application.

"I sprayed Pendulum when I was working at the Mississippi State course and I knew it was an economical option for weed control," said Poynot. "I initially chose pendimethalin at my previous courses for economics more than anything else. Later, I was able to compare its performance to dithiopyr (Dimension®) and prodiamine (Barricade®) at other courses in near proximity, and in my mind the pendimethalin was more effective."

Poynot requests a custom blend from his fertilizer supplier, specifying the analysis of the fertilizer and active ingredient that is applied at the blender. His current recipe is 0.86 percent BASF pendimethalin.

"That allows me to get a high enough level of granule per square foot at 175 pounds of fertilizer per acre," said Poynot. His crew spreads the fertilizer through a large hopper, taking 4 to 6 hours to apply to the course’s fairways and roughs. Within 2 to 3 days of the treatment, Poynot follows up with a half-inch of irrigation.

In the spring, he applies the product to prevent crabgrass and goosegrass with three split applications: one pound of BASF pendimethalin per acre in early February, late March, and mid-May. He makes two additional split applications focused on Poa annua prevention with 1.5 pounds spread in late August and mid-October on a high potassium fertilizer. The split application method allows Poynot to spread two applications of BASF pendimethalin (6 pounds) throughout the year.

"If you made a one-time application at 3 pounds of active ingredient, then you’d have the best weed control you could have for up to 12 weeks," said Poynot. "In our climate, we can have warmer weather in January and February and weeds will start to germinate after that 12-week window of time. We’re able to gain longer control with the split applications."

Le Triomphe’s roughs and fairways have improved substantially since incorporating Pendulum into the turf management program in 2003. Poynot notes that in May of 2004, turf quality and weed pressure improved by ten times and conditions had progressed further in 2005. In addition to Poa, crabgrass and goosegrass, he hasn’t observed any broadleaf weeds such as clover, dandelion and henbit, which had been problematic in the past.

"Regarding performance, I’d say we get 95 percent control with Pendulum," said Poynot. "It’s a product that has the ability to move a bit more in the soil than other products so there isn’t a need for super-precise application. When we broadcast apply it, I have the confidence it will do the job. And I don’t have any other reason to believe otherwise at this point."

The product’s most significant benefit for Le Triomphe beyond decreased weed incidence is cost savings. On a per-acre basis, Poynot estimates that Pendulum delivers better weed control for 25 percent less in cost compared to competitor products. This helps him significantly stretch his budget to address other places of need.

After eight years of success, Poynot says he plans to continue using the winning Pendulum fertilizer combination in the future.

"I absolutely plan to keep Pendulum in my program in the future," said Poynot. "Somebody would have to start paying me not to."

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