Disease pressure on turf is rising and unpredictable weather is threatening traditional strategies across groundcare.
But Andrew Mannion, course manager at Southerndown Golf Club, south Wales, has sourced a fungicide to control persistent dollar spot at what is one of the Principality’s top golf venues.
Working with Ray Hunt of agronomy specialist and turf protection supplier Agrovista Amenity, he has safeguarded turf health and playability at the beautiful coastal course.
The links-style site sits on free-draining limestone, is exposed to perpetual wind and is managed using lean nutrient inputs – conditions not conducive to disease, until recently, explains Andrew. And he’s not alone in suffering from the fungal invader.
“Warmer, wetter conditions seem to be the trigger,” he says. “It started with small flare-ups but built momentum quickly. Once it was in, it kept coming back.”

Seeking a solution, he turned to Agrovista, a longstanding agronomy partner to Southerndown. “We looked at a few products but Ray recommended Maxtima straight away. We trialled it on just two or three affected greens and it worked.”
Developed by BASF and supplied exclusively through Agrovista Amenity, the fungicide is a next-generation DMI fungicide to control dollar spot and other key turfgrass diseases. “Its targeted performance and ability to integrate seamlessly into a regular maintenance programme sets it apart, the supplier states.
“You can actually see it stop disease development within 24 hours,” Andrew adds. “Last year, because it was during the growing season, we even saw full recovery on affected areas. Lesions healed over and with some overseeding, it disappeared completely.”

Preventative strategy
Since that initial success, Andrew and the team have used Maxtima within their preventative strategy, “using it at specific times of year based on weather trends. Last season, we did two applications – up from one – because the dollar spot flared up earlier. It was the second wettest year we’ve recorded in over two decades, so we knew we needed to act.”
Accurate timing and close monitoring is key, he stresses, because the fungicide is said to work best when applied preventatively.
“Our two ‘indicator greens’ show signs first. Once we spot the tiniest speck, we get Maxtima on straight away. That’s when it does its best work. We’re definitely more in control now. It’s a great product and if you catch dollar spot early, it’ll stop it in its tracks.”
www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity