According to an economic feasibility study by Duke University, athletic fields using real grass cost between $50,000 and $600,000 to construct, depending on the growing medium and soil structure, while the average artificial turf field ranges from $850,000 to $1 million. Another factor for this shift, according to some speculators, might be safety or the public’s perception of what is safe. A 2013 study performed by the National Football League Injury and Safety Panel concluded that during the 2012 season, ACL sprains were 67 percent higher on artificial turf than real grass, with new sprains charting at 22 percent higher. Market share gained from arti- ficial turf isn’t the only resurgence; there’s also an increase in the move- ment of warm season grass seed into northern regions, traditionally dominated by cool season varieties. Ley Pickens, seed division sales manager for Patten Seed Company, says seed sales for the division’s Super-Sod segment have been on the rise in northern areas, above the transition zone. “What’s interesting is where the Zoysia varieties are beginning to move,” Pickens says. “When you take a snapshot of the places we have sold Zoysia seed, it has a lot of opportu- nity to expand into new regions.” Pickens points to Midwest golf courses as a real opportunity for Patten Seed Company to gain new market share, thanks to a hotter, drier climate. “With the climate we have seen the past few years across much of the Midwest being so hot and dry, we have been able to sell a lot of Zoysia seed to golf courses,” he says. “Those are typically cool season markets. Golf course managers and superintendents are looking for solutions to keep their courses green and save dollars. For those folks, Zoysia has made a significant impact.” The hardiness of the warm- season Zoysia allows course mainte- nance to focus on the greens. While the cost to convert a 50-acre golf course’s fairways and tee boxes can reach upward of $75,000, Pickens says the lower water costs combined with reduced fungicide and herbi- cide inputs allow courses to recoup the conversion costs in the first year if it happens to be hot and dry. Serving as the national sales manager for LaCrosse Seed, Reed also sees market opportunities in regions with prolonged drought and above-average temperatures. “North of the transition zone, we have seen more movement toward tall fescue, which use to be primar- ily planted in the transition zone where you move from cool season grasses to warm season grasses,” he says. “In the past few years, we’ve seen tall fescue move north into Nebraska and South Dakota.” OCTOBER 2017 SEEDWORLD.COM / 31 More than a Trend On target with what the rest of agriculture is experiencing, the turf industry is under scrutiny to closely manage and conserve resources. The golf industry is very conscious of sustainability and efficiency, says Pat Gross, who serves as director for the United States Golf Association’s West Region. “In the golf industry, there has been a lot of research on water conservation, salinity management and developing grasses that use less water, fertilizer and pesticide,” Gross says. “There is also some really great work being done at the University of California. They are working to develop Zoysia and Bermudagrass varieties that retain winter color. If they can do that, they will pretty much eliminate the need for over-seeding.” NTF’s Morris says what the industry as a whole is experiencing is not a trend, but rather a shift that will eventually become the turf industry standard. “We have seen trends come and go in the turf industry: dwarf grasses and traffic tolerance probably being in the past couple of decades,” Morris says. “I don’t view what we are seeing now as a trend. Resource efficiency in the name of sustainability isn’t going anywhere.” SW Kim Heck is chief operating officer for the Sports Turf Management Association. Patrick Reed serves as national sales manager for LaCrosse Seed. DID YOU KNOW? Athletic fields using real grass cost between $50,000 and $600,000 to construct, while the average artificial turf field ranges from $850,000 to $1 million. A 2013 study concluded that during the 2012 season, ACL sprains were 67% higher on artificial turf than real grass, with new sprains charting at 22% higher.