Zoysia surface being installed at Osawatomie

By DAVID WOLMAN, DAVID WOLMAN@MICONEWS.COM

Central Heights golfers Kyle Rossman (left) and Isaac Delatorre inspect the new zoysia grass that was installed recently on the 17th hole of the Osawatomie Golf Course. The golf course purchased two acres of the grass from St. Andrews Golf Course in Overland Park last year, and course officials planted the grass with plans to eventually install zoysia over the entire course by 2010. (Photo by David Wolman / Davidwolman@miconews.com)

Five months after purchasing two acres of zoysia grass from St. Andrews Golf Course in Overland Park, golfers at Osawatomie Golf Course are finally seeing the new surface being installed.

Patches of zoysia, a grass surface more suited for warmer weather, is being laid on several holes, starting with the Par 4s, and the current rye grass/blue grass blend will be stripped.

“(Those holes are) the ones that take a beating,” course director Brad Waggoner said. “People use 3 irons on them,”

Zoysia will grow and spread over the old surface, Waggoner said.

Osawatomie Golf Course purchased the zoysia at a cost of $20,000 last November. Topeka Sod Farm, which contracted the project, cut the grass and delivered it to Osawatomie shortly after.

The installation of zoysia over the entire golf course will take place in phases, with the project scheduled to be completed in 2010. No holes will be closed during this time period.

“Everyone will see the benefits of it in two years,” Waggoner said.

The idea of replacing surfaces didn’t happen over night.

When the course installed a new irrigation system three years ago, Waggoner needed a surface better able to handle the hot Kansas summers. At the time, the course used a “cool-season grass” because of its low initial investment. But with the hot weather came higher maintenance costs. A cool-weather surface couldn’t withstand the heat.

That’s when Waggoner began researching hot-weather surfaces. Within a matter of time, he found his answer: zoysia.

Waggoner soon discovered zoysia wasn’t cheap. He found the cost of zoysia to be “astronomical.”

“There was no way we can justify spending two or three hundred thousand dollars,” he said. “We don’t bring in that much money.”

A less expensive option emerged last fall.

Waggoner said St. Andrews was in the process of rebuilding six holes two years ago. The course sold several pieces of equipment that had been used for the project on eBay. When equipment for a similar project was being sold last October, as mentioned in a Kansas City Star article, Waggoner jumped at the opportunity.

Waggoner and Osawatomie City Manager Bret Glendening approached the superintendent of St. Andrews.

Waggoner said Glendening initially was concerned about the cost of the project. But after meeting with Waggoner for two weeks, Glendening gave the project the green light after projecting the lower maintenance costs in the future.

“He thought it was expensive at first,” Waggoner said. “But with the price we were getting it at, we couldn’t afford not to.”

Donors have put forward just shy of $12,000 toward the project. Other funding came through revenue at the golf course.

Initial feedback from course members about the project was overwhelming positive.

“Member response has been very positive,” Waggoner said.