Dollar spot is the common turf disease in North America, usually seen on low cut lawns such as golf greens, fairways and tees. In Canada, dollar spot can be found in the Maritimes, the Prairies and along the West Coast, but it is most severe in the Great Lakes Region. Luckily it is readily identified and steps can be taken fairly early into infection. So dollar spot isn’t really a huge concern.
Generally only cultural practises are needed to control dollar spot. As with most fungi, keeping the turf dry can greatly reduce the occurrence of this disease. Drag a hose or pole the turf in the early morning to reduce the duration of leaf wetness. Other ways of drying the dew from turf are pruning the lower crowns of trees or thinning trees to promote air flow, reducing shade also works in promoting drier turf but efficacy is strongest by promoting sunlight in the morning. Mowing turf in the early morning can also help turf dry out quicker.
I have no strong feelings either way on this disease, its like the cold of turf, everyone gets it but it doesn’t stay for long so long as you take some measures against it. So that being said in my opinion dollar spot is just a fact of managing turf and everyone can commiserate those little brown splotches littering the fairways and tees, so here’s hoping they never reach your greens eh? Cheers.
