Going green in 1938

“Golf course grass now dyed green for nervous putters. Washington, D.C., Aug. 5 [1938].

“Nervous golfers who have complained that some insecticides used on greens turned the grass brown, thus creating a mental hazard which spoiled their game, have no excuse now. Experts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, working with the United States Golf Association, have combined an insecticide with a green [dye], which, when sprayed does not harm healthy grass but improves both the color of uneven greens and the tempers of the golfers who blame their putting on the uneven color of the greens. The new dye is being used on football gridirons and baseball fields.

“A.E. Rabbit, grass specialist of the United States Golf Association, is pictured spraying the new dye on an experimental green at the Department of Agriculture.”

First of all:  Mr. Rabbit, a grass specialist?!  And he’s very nattily dressed to be out spraying colored poison.

Here’s a link to a brief history of pesticides, and here’s a link to “How Green is Golf?” by John Barton, which ran in the May 2008 Golf Digest and features a variety of voices from golf course superintendent to environmental activist.

There’s also this.

The further adventures of Mr. R. here.

Photo and text in quotes via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.