Two issues confront all golf courses:

• cost of fertilizer
• water utilization

Golf courses have different problems depending on their geographical locations.  One problem nearly universal to golf courses is the cost of fertilizing them.  The second universal problem is water.  In some regions there is naturally too much, while in others there is not enough, even with irrigation.

Bactifeed provides solutions to both problems.  By increasing the level of microbial activity in the soil, we will increase the efficiency of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles that are endemic to healthy soils.  This means that Bactifeed will enhance the ability to metabolize thatch much faster than it would be able to otherwise.  This acceleration means a consistent release of nitrogen from the dead organic matter, as well as other nutrients contained in the thatch.  It will allow the soil to open up and process water, nitrogen, and carbon much more efficiently, meaning water will be absorbed at far greater rates than with lower levels of microbial activity.  Fertilizers left over season after season will not run off with the irrigation or storm water, but be effectively metabolized into a humus that is readily digestible to root structure.   Fertilizer will be more thoroughly absorbed into the soil ecosystem, meaning you will need less water to irrigate the same acreage.   Your healthy soil will retain this moisture which will prevent roots from dying in the heat, and water will not run off, but be efficiently absorbed.   Because of the increase of absorption, less fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides will escape to storm water runoff, cleaning your water source.  You fertilizer utilization rate will dramatically increase resulting in the need to use less fertilizer.

In wetter areas, like a golf course in Kansas City, the natural rainfall has been excessive and cost courses there tens of thousands of dollars in lost golf revenue because of fairways being underwater or otherwise unplayable.  Standing water from these downpours accumulates, killing grass, creating unwanted fungus and insect issues, and weeds.

On one golf course in Kansas City, Bactifeed was used last year (2008) in a few experimental low areas and the standing water receded much quicker after heavy rains.   In the last few years, courses have been closed there 40-45 days to let the course dry out for golfers, resulting in a loss of $4,000 in concession revenues.  (Public courses lose nearly double that because they lose green fees).   Thus far in the season they have had more rain than last year, and 15 fewer closures.  Golfers are on the course after the rain stops.  The superintendent was able to cut 25% out of his fertilizer budget before the season ever began, and the grass is flourishing all over the course.   Fewer herbicides are necessary because there is less standing water, and fewer fungal issues and insect issues have been observed.   Most of all, the cost for an annual regimen of Bactifeed is made up by having one and a half days of less rain induced closure.  The savings in fertilizer alone was 6 times the cost of an annual supply of Bactifeed.

In Arizona, a golf course in Scottsdale faced similar issues.   The owner decided to use half the fertilizer he normally used, using Bactifeed every other month.  His grass stayed greener during the entire season.  His water issues were also substantial, in that there persisted a heavy Alkali content due to the water softeners in the valley.  The Bactifeed neutralized the alkali, which helped the soil absorb and hold the water.  Holding the water prevented root burn and kept the course green.   A water savings of nearly 35 percent was observed, and the course is in the best shape going  into the overseed the superintendant has ever seen (14 years on the same course).