re: **OFFICIAL 2014 The Masters Thread....WINNER: Bubba Watson -8**

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I've heard that this is a great grass for a few years, but it doesn't last more than 5-6 years before you have to reseed/resod again. Any truth to that?

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Champion requires a very aggressive cultivation program. Very high end courses are able to burden the financial cost of labor and equipment to continually maintain Champion properly.

Topdressing, verticutting, aerification, brushing, etc. This is due to a very high thatch accumulation (and to help control grain). And it adds up to a lot of money spent on equipment, sand, and most of all labor.

I think some courses have been disappointed because they renovated to Champion, but then were unable to keep up with the high cost of maintenance. Though, this is somewhat true of all ultradwarfs. They require a high level of maintenance.

Champion is owned by the Brown family in Texas. They are very involved in all renovations and establishment of Champion. They handle the sprigging process and make sure you follow a very strict management program during the grow-in. They will visit each course and make sure that drainage, soil mix, etc. is all up to par, so that they will not have a green fail. They are very proud of their name, and will not have it associated with failure.

In the end, it's all about maintenance. And having the money/budget to handle that maintenance. Almost every course has had a shrinking budget the past few years. Yet prices are rising on equipment, fuel, labor, etc. Boards and greens committees will look at some maintenance practices and think "Well, they don't really need that verticutter. They don't need to topdress all the time. It ruins the greens for a few days." And then they get pissed when the greens are not up to their high expectations. The maintenance department of a golf course is the biggest expense, and it brings in no revenue (directly). It's often the first budget item to get trimmed. Some times in favor of new carpet in the club house, or a new brick sign out front.

Superintendents are being asked to do more than ever with less than ever.