Nebraska, United States: Dormie Network, a national network of private golf clubs in the United States, has announced the completion of a collaborative, multi-year field research test that has yielded breakthrough results to treat one of the most troublesome pest infestations plaguing golf courses across the country.

At Dormie Club, a Dormie Network property located in North Carolina, the club partnered with Syngenta to explore new ways to treat plant-parasitic nematodes.

The three-year study effectively rescued Dormie Club’s greens from staggering pest populations that threatened the viability of its greens, while also opening the door for the release of a new pest control product, Trefinti nematicide/fungicide, that has the potential to transform approaches to turf management across the golf industry and beyond.

Dormie Club Director of Agronomy Eric Harbauer partnered with Dr Lane Tredway, Technical Services Manager for Turf at Syngenta. Together, they embarked on this extensive research project testing TYMIRIUM technology to combat a common pest that threatens golf courses, particularly those that rely on sandy soils to help their greens flourish. 

At the onset of the trial, the two began small, treating control areas in the nursery before expanding to greens across the property. Harbauer noted the 16th green is among the top three nematode hot spots on the course. It is also one of the most iconic holes on the course, thanks to its photogenic ghost tree.

Trefinti has significantly reduced nematode populations at Dormie Club, and some of the most heavily affected greens have turned into the best greens on the course.

For perspective, a count of 600 to 750 lance nematodes is the generally accepted threshold, but prior to the start of the research trial, Dormie Club was registering 10,000 to 18,000 lance nematode counts, representing an existential threat to its putting surfaces. Recent samples have shown counts below 400 across the property’s greens.

Harbauer said: “I think the thing that impressed me the most about the trials we did here with Trefinti was the immediate response in plant health. Almost immediately, the plants would stop wilting, improve health, and improve as long as you get it out in the spring early enough before you have damage. Your counts take a little time to go down, but your plant response is right away.”

Nematodes are microscopic roundworms residing in soil eco-systems, and there are millions of species. Many are harmless or even helpful, breaking down organic matter and cycling nutrients.

Plant-parasitic nematodes are the exception as they feed aggressively on turfgrass roots, relying on pore space and thin films of soil moisture to move and reproduce. They struggle to migrate through dense clay soils, but thrive in loose, well-aerated media. That makes the North Carolina Sandhills, with their deep sandy profiles and high-drainage greens, close to an ideal habitat.

Unlike foliar blights or visible leaf surface diseases, nematode damage often goes unnoticed until extensive root loss has already occurred. Parasitic feeding can cause root clubbing, which cuts the plant’s ability to take up water and nutrients, while also opening the door for additional fungal infections.

The rigorous testing conducted at Dormie Club provided vital real-world efficacy data that helped bring this solution to market. Today, superintendents across the country rely on Trefinti to manage complex soil complexes. Within the Dormie Network portfolio, properties like Briggs Ranch Golf Club in San Antonio utilise the treatment to support the health of its greens.  

*Syngenta is a member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.