phoenix how long after overseeding is golf course playable

Full Answer

How soon can I play golf after overseeding?

We actually recommend not playing a golf course at least a week before a course closes for overseed due to the dry condition nor a week after due to the soggy conditions because of over watering trying to make sure that new seed pops.

How long does overseeding take in Arizona?

Without being too technical, the overseeding process in the Phoenix area usually starts somewhere between mid-September and late October and lasts from 12-21 days depending on the course (another 7-10 days if you count discontinuing the water prior to starting).

What are the benefits of overseeding a golf course?

The benefits of overseeding include better playing conditions in the winter, a more beautiful golf course during those months and more income for the daily-fee courses.

When will the Phoenix area golf courses reopen?

Phoenix Area Golf Course Overseeding Schedule Golf Course Closure Date Re-open Date Longbow 10/10/21 10/27/21 Lookout Mountain 9/20/21 10/6/21 McCormick Ranch - Palm 10/24/21 11/11/21 McCormick Ranch - Pine 9/19/21 10/7/21 21 more rows ...

What is Overseeding?

This is the annual process when the courses will each close for a couple of weeks in the mid-September to mid-October time frame (exact dates will...

Why do courses overseed?

The summer Bermuda grass in Arizona will go dormant once the cooler temperatures come in during the early fall months of mid-September to mid-Octob...

Is coming out during the overseeding season a good time to golf in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area?

The mid-September to mid-October time frame can be a very good time to come out to the Scottsdale/Phoenix area to golf. This is when the weather is...

What does cart path only mean?

After the completion of the overseeding process the courses will typically put the cart path only rule in place on every hole to allow the freshly...

How long do courses keep the cart path only rule in place?

Courses will keep the cart path only rule in place for typically 4-8 weeks after the completion of the overseeding process (this will vary from cou...

Are there exceptions to the cart path only rule?

Yes, on occasion certain courses may allow guests to have a "medical flag" that may allow golfers to drive to the golf ball at a 90 degree angle pr...

What is the 90 degree cart rule?

The 90-degree rule means that a golfer is supposed to drive their cart along the cart path until the cart has reached a point where a 90-degree tur...

Where is overseeding practiced?

Golf courses in California's Coachella Valley and Phoenix-Scottsdale are hotbeds of overseeding, but it's a common, and sometimes controversial, practice throughout the southern United States.

When does rye grass turn green?

By the 10th day of watering during the Wigwam's fall overseeding, the Rye grass has turned green and looks more ready for play. Courtesy photo

When is high season at Wigwam Golf Club?

Conditions can be spotty and deter golfers for a month or so after the course reopens, but the end result by the time high season comes around in January is the reward: a pristine course where golfers, locals and tourists alike, will pay top dollar to play on green fairways. You can follow the overseeding process taking place this fall at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz., in the photo gallery above.

What does Whitlark like about golf?

For Whitlark, it comes down to pitting the aesthetics of a green golf course against more natural playing conditions. He prefers playing courses that don't overseed, a stance many golfers probably aren't ready to embrace.

Should we oversee golf?

The question - "should we overseed or not?" - occurs regularly in Texas, Georgia and Florida. It is an individual choice. Golfers in these locales tend to face much smaller inconveniences, perhaps with only minimal overseeding. Courses often don't close during minor overseeding projects.

Is overseeding bad for the environment?

Critics say overseeding is bad for the environment, considering how much extra water, fertilizer and machine power is required.

Is overseeding a mystery?

To everyday golfers, especially those in northern states, overseeding is a mysterious, maybe even confusing, process. Every year, GolfPass gets reviews from golfers who visit southern states and think the grass is "dead" when they see a green fairway overseeded with Rye grass framed by brown rough of dormant Bermuda. Explaining the overseeding process should help more golfers understand why it's so popular in certain parts of the country and why it is falling out of favor in others.

What is the best time to play golf in Arizona?

PHOENIX, AZ - October is a great month for golf in Arizona: The temperatures cool off to at least the 90s and sometimes the 80s during the day; the sticky monsoon storms are over; the snowbirds have yet to hit the links and slow down the pace of play.

How many holes are there in the TPC Desert Course?

However, clubs with more than 18 holes, like the Phoenician Resort, Camelback, McCormick Ranch, Ocotillo, Troon North, Wildfire and Grayhawk alternate their overseeding. The Stadium Course at the Tournament Players Club didn't close until the TPC Desert Course reopened after overseeding.

How many nines are there at Kierland Golf Club?

At Kierland Golf Club in Scottsdale, for example, there are three separate nines - the Mesquite, the Ironwood and the Acacia - each with different dates for overseeding. "It's all going to be done by Nov. 3," said the head golf pro Mike Champagne. That's just in time for the opening of the new Westin Kierland Resort, next door to the golf course. Champagne said bookings for the hotel are 45 percent full for opening week.

How long does Bermuda stay closed?

The process requires courses to stay closed for two or three weeks. First the Bermuda is shaved down to almost nothing and seeded with rye. Then the course is heavily watered so the rye seed takes root. "Once the water comes on, it stays on for two weeks," Hrushka said.

When will the Southern Dunes open?

Southern Dunes, believed to be Arizona's first men-only golf course, is set to open on Nov. 15 near the town of Maricopa, 30 miles south of Phoenix off Highway 238, according to Brian Curley of Schmidt-Curley Golf Architecture in Scottsdale.

Can you play golf in Phoenix?

That doesn't mean you can't play golf at all in the Phoenix area. Every course picks a different time to replant. Dove Valley Ranch, because it's at a slightly higher elevation, can start reseeding earlier, Hrushka said. Overseeding started there Sept. 23 and ends Oct. 10.

Who designed the Faldo course?

Schmidt-Curley has worked before with Couples and Nick Faldo on the design of the Faldo course at Wildfire, a public daily fee course which opened last winter in Phoenix.

Why overseed golf greens?

Overseeding thus keeps a growing turfgrass available for golfers to play on.

What is the difference between the rough and the greens on the golf course?

The rough lies dormant and brown, while the overseeded fairways and greens of this golf course are vibrant green.

What is a temporary green?

Some courses also use "temporary greens"—an area adjacent to the real green that is mowed down to putting green-height—during the overseeding process to keep golfers from walking on the fresh and newly growing putting green grass.

What is topdressing in golf?

If the green in question is aerated, the topdressing consists of a mixture of sand, soil,​ and fertilizer. If the green is overseeded, the topdressing consists of a mixture of sand, fertilizer,​ and seed.

How long does it take for grass to grow without cutting?

Overseeding often involves putting the seed down along with a thin layer of sand, then allowing the new grass to grow in for many days without being cut. So overseeding (which is sometimes done in conjunction with aeration) can, for a period of a week or 10 days or so, result in very "hairy" greens, fairways and tee boxes.

Do golf courses have dormant turf?

Some golf courses have experimented over the years with coloring, or painting, their dormant turfgrass, rather than overseeding it. It sounds kind of silly, but as the quality of the "turf colorants" has improved, and best-practices for doing it have been shared among greenskeepers, coloring (at least of the dormant greens) is catching on with more golf courses. Overseeding is still more common for now.

What is the best combo for a public course in Phoenix?

A majority of PUBLIC courses in Phoenix overseed with a combo of Rye and Poa Triv. or rye/poa triv/bent. The rye usually gets mowed out since it can not take a low mow height as can the poa triv and bent. The rye germinates first and establishes quicker than poa triv and bent.

What grass is good for desert golf?

Because of the summer temperature extremes, the grass that can be used most effectively in the the desert climate is Bermuda grass. Great playing surface from mid March to the end of October. When the overnight temps drop in the late fall, bermuda goes dormant - stops growing and the blades of grass gradually turn brown. Phoenix does get overnite frost and a few hard freezes during a typical winter. The first frost takes care of any remaining green bermuda. The root system is still alive however and by early spring, new growth appears. With warm weather and a little water, turf that looks totally dead will turn green in a few weeks time. Now dormant ber muda makes a perfectly playable, firm, fast and FUN golf surface as long as it is not left to totally bake dry. The main problem with dormant ber muda is the greens. With the concentrated foot traffic, spikes, etc., a dormant bermuda green gets chopped up pretty quickly. Solution: Scalp the Ber muda surface and apply ryegrass seed. After a 3-4 week grow-in, the rye can be cut down and now an acceptable (and green) putting surface for the winter. At the same time, most courses also applied the rye overseed to the tees. When I first moved to Phoenix in 1978, there were a handful of courses that went totally dormant, but most at the time were overseeding tees and greens. Gradually, the concept spread to completely overseeding the course including fairways and roughs. The upscale courses with large budgets could present a totally green golf course to attract tourists and to be competetive, most courses had to follow. Nowdays, the golfing public doesn't want to play on "dead" grass, they want GREEN. Which presents several problems, mostly from a quality of golf perspective but also from a turfgrass maintenance standpoint. It is very expensive to overseed not just the seed but the labor and water needed for grow-in. (and the green fees reflect it!) Obviously, there is an interruption in play during the grow-in. Most courses close 2-3 weeks, but it is rare green ready to play three weeks from seed. Slow and shaggy conditions greet players in most cases. Four weeks and on, they can lower the blades and start to get better green surfaces. Some are more tolerant, but I think it takes fully 8 weeks or more to attain a decent putting surface after overseed. Left on its own, Bermuda stays pretty green and quite playable into November. Most of the hybrid bermuda used on golf courses today are a lot more cold tolerant than the old fashion common bermuda. And in early March it is perfectly green again. Which introduces another problem with overseeding is that it has to be timed properly to achieve a good grow-in. If you wait until the bermuda really starts to go dormant, it is then too cold to get a good germination with the rye. So they start the overseed earlier, Late September, just when the bermuda is looking its best coming out of the summer, it gets scalped down and the rye overseed begins. Starting too soon has its issues as well, if it is too warm, the rye competes with the bermuda and doesn't thrive immediately. THEN... in the spring, another transition that creates less than perfect golf conditions. While the bermuda starts greening up in March, the rye is not ready to give it up until May or so. On its own, the bermuda would be thriving by May, but instead the bermuda growth is suppressed and the rye stays green until the hot weather arrives, then suddenly dies off leaving the bermuda to try to catch up in the hottest, driest part of the year. This usually creates spotty conditions for the first month or so of summer as superintendents struggle with bare spots. The other issue with overseeding, the grow-in takes a tremendous amount of water and even after, rye needs a lot more water than bermuda to look its best. So from the fall reopening thru December you can generally count on very wet conditions and cart path only. Even through the tourist season to the end of March, many courses just keep it way wetter that it needs to be. Unfortunately, this creates a rather one-dimensional playing condition that favors a strictly aerial game. Fly the ball to the fairway... splat! Fly the ball to the green... splat. No way to experience or enjoy the contours of the course and use a variety of shots. I'm editorializing of course, but I think the desire for lush green conditions results in a game that is a little less fun. Finally, the long term health of the bermuda base turf suffers from repeated overseeding which tends to deplete the soil of natural nutrients over time. It is said that most courses would benefit by skipping the overseed every few years. ADDENDUM: There are courses in the Phoenix area that maintain bent grass greens. This surface stay playable in the winter and does not need to be overseeded. Why then, don't all courses in Phoenix have bent greens? A whole new set of problems keeping the bent healthy in the summer is the main reason. A slew of upscale daily fee courses opened in the late 80's early 90's with bent. All but a few have switched to bermuda. Bent is mostly successful in the foothill areas with a bit more elevation and slightly cooler temperatures than the Phoenix valley. Also some privates with less play and higher maintenance budgets have been successful with keeping bent greens. Geez, sorry I wrote a book! Hope this helps.

Is Gold Canyon a stay and play golf course?

We are in a 'stay and play' deal at Gold Canyon but that doesn't mean we are limited to golfing their courses. If the conditions are not up to snuff then we will consider other options.

When does Guilfoil oversee Desert Canyon?

At Desert Canyon, Guilfoil overseeds every autumn, usually around the third week of September. He estimates that 95 percent of courses in and around the Phoenix and Scottsdale area overseed as well. The motives are aesthetic and pragmatic. An overlay of ryegrass keeps courses green while providing purer playing conditions throughout the winter. It also helps protect the dormant Bermuda at a time when the grass is vulnerable to damage. “Divots and cart traffic are the big problems,” Guilfoil says. “They can really beat up dormant turf during a season when it’s just not able to recover.”

Who is the superintendent of Desert Canyon Golf Club?

GOLF.com rang up Matt Guilfoil, superintendent at Desert Canyon Golf Club, in Fountain Hills, Ariz., and co-host of From the Jingweeds, a podcast devoted to the turf-care trade, to discuss the rationale behind each option, and what homeowners should consider when contemplating whether to overseed their yards.

What is ryegrass overlay?

An overlay of ryegrass keeps courses green while providing purer playing conditions throughout the winter. It also helps protect the dormant Bermuda at a time when the grass is vulnerable to damage. “Divots and cart traffic are the big problems,” Guilfoil says.

Why does Guilfoil oversee the yard?

The calculus can get complicated. At his own home, Guilfoil overseeds the yard, but not because he wants to. It’s because he lost an argument with his wife. “Personally, I’d rather save the water, the money and the hassle, and just let the grass go dormant for the winter,” Guilfoil says.

How much seed does Guilfoil use?

That’s a waste. At Desert Canyon, Guilfoil applies about 500 pounds of seed per acre, which, translated for home use, equals about 11 pounds of seed per 1,000-square feet of lawn. Unless your yard is unusually large, a 50-pound bag of seed should last you a few years, Guilfoil says.

What does "no play" mean in Desert Canyons?

Newly overseeded ryegrass is wet and boggy and not much fun to play on, which is why many courses shut down temporarily after overseeding; Desert Canyons closes for a month. No play means no revenue, and you don’t need to be an accountant to know how that adds up. 3.

Do overseeded lawns require more maintenance than dormant lawns?

Overseeded lawns also require more maintenance than dormant lawns.

Why do golf courses oversee early?

Over 75% of all golf courses will overseed early in order to meet club and play schedules. This is very rough on the bermuda, and the ryegrass, but you already know why. About 15% of all courses will overseed late, when the night temperatures are in the low 50°', which makes the soil cool quickly.

What is the preparation for overseeding?

Preparation for Overseeding: Seed, Soil, and Stolons

How do I mow ryegrass?

After the overseed emerges, mow greens for the first time at 3/8" or slightly less with a sharp mower. This is critical for ryegrass. A walk-behind mower is better than a tri-plex for the first mow (when possible). Double mow down to 1/4", 3/16" and 5/32". It may take two weeks or more. If you scalp, try and remain at the existing height. The grass should "grow into" the new height. Avoid "ripping" the grass out of greens and tees by using dull reels. Aerify with ¼" solid tines and fertilize with quick release -N- from a three-way complete fertilizer.

What is overseeding in golf?

Let’s start out by talking about overseeding. Overseeding is done when a golf course’s main grass (generally Bermuda) in the fairways, tee boxes, and greens is about to go into its dormant stage. When Bermuda is dormant, it is brown and unsightly which generally takes place when the temperature drops below 60 degrees.

When does the superintendent stop watering Las Vegas golf courses?

The superintendent will actually slow or stop watering the course all together generally about a week or two in advance to speed up the dormant process, this is called scalping.

How often do golf courses aerify?

Depending on a course’s annual traffic volume, the aerification of greens and fairways occurs two to three times per year.

How to get a seed to take?

In order to get the seed to take, he must water the course enough for the seed to germinate. Once the seed has germinated and grown strong into the ground he will still remain heavily watering the course just to make sure the seed takes.

Aesthetics of Overseeding

Overseeding's Effect on Play

• Overseeding often involves putting the seed down along with a thin layer of sand, then allowing the new grass to grow in for many days without being cut. So overseeding (which is sometimes done in conjunction with aeration) can, for a period of a week or 10 days or so, result in very "hairy" greens, fairways and tee boxes. Because greens with uncut...

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Emerging Alternative to Overseeding

The Seed Mixture Put Down Is called 'Topdressing'