What does it mean when a golf course is over seeded?
Updated September 07, 2018. In golf, "overseeding" refers to a maintenance process on golf courses in which grass seed is spread on top of the existing grass to promote new growth or to swap out seasonal turfs, replacing one type of grass with another.
Can golfers tell the difference between turf colorants and regular overseeding?
The majority of golfers could not tell the difference between fairways treated with turf colorants and the conventional overseeding practices. Low-handicap players at the course especially preferred the colorant-treated playing surfaces.
What is the difference between aeration and overseeding?
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.
What is topdressing on a golf course?
"Topdressing" is a golf course maintenance term that describes a layer of material put down on a green for fairway following either aeration or overseeding. If the green in question is aerated, the topdressing consists of a mixture of sand, soil, and fertilizer.
What is the difference between seeding and overseeding?
In general grass seeds will not germinate until they are below the surface of the ground and have enough moisture. Overseeding is a process of using a broadcast spreader to apply grass seed on the surface of the ground.
What is the process of overseeding?
STEP 1: Mow and rake the lawn. The goal of overseeding a lawn is to get the grass seed in contact with the soil. ... STEP 2: Amend the soil. ... STEP 3: Spread the grass seed. ... STEP 4: Add grass seed fertilizer. ... STEP 5: Water the seeded lawn.
What does Overseeded mean?
Overseeding is the planting of grass seed directly into existing turf, without tearing up the turf, or the soil. It's an easy way to fill in bare spots, improve the density of turf, establish improved grass varieties and enhance your lawn's color.
Why do Arizona golf courses overseed?
most golf courses in the west and southeast have to plan when they undertake a major transformation. In Tucson and other warmer climes, the cooler winter weather causes the Bermuda grass to go dormant. It's loses all of it's color, looking more like cut straw, than luxurious turf. Hence, the need to overseed.
When should you overseed?
Hands down, early fall is the best time to overseed your lawn. The absolute sweet spot for most northern regions of the U.S. is August 15 to September 15. That's when daytime temperatures are still warm enough to encourage growth and nights get cooler, giving new seedlings a break from the heat. Lawn grasses like that.
How do you prepare for overseeding?
Mow Low. Before overseeding your thin lawn, cut your grass shorter than normal and bag the clippings. After mowing, rake the lawn to help loosen the top layer of soil and remove any dead grass and debris. This will give the grass seed easy access to the soil so it can root more easily after germinating.
How long does it take to overseed a golf course?
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 grass can be difficult to putt on, some (but not all) golf courses offer green fee discounts during periods of overseeding.
Can you mow after overseeding?
After you lay down your seedlings, they'll need time and the right environmental protection to grow. They'll need to acclimate and set roots before the first mow, so during the first two to four weeks post aerating and overseeding, don't mow.
Do you have to overseed every year?
Reseeding, which is also referred to as overseeding, involves sowing seed over existing grass to prevent thinning and bare patches. However, this doesn't have to be done every year. How often you should reseed your lawn depends on several factors, including the amount of traffic it receives and its overall condition.
Do Florida golf courses overseed?
Beginning in October and continuing into November, winter overseeding establishment is a process that must be undertaken at a number of golf courses in Florida.
What grass is used on Arizona golf courses?
For greens installations in Arizona, the best types of sod to use are ultra-dwarf bermudagrasses, Tifdwarf, and Tif Eagle. Ultra-dwarf bermudagrasses are some of the newest greens grass to be introduced in the United States.
How long is cart path only after overseeding?
The traditional standard in the Coachella Valley/ Palm Springs area, based on experience, is to keep carts on the path for at least four weeks after overseeding. Under ideal weather conditions, this allows two weeks for good seed germination and initial mowing, with an additional two weeks for the turf to mature.
Golf course overseeding: What you need to know
The maintenance staff sprays out chemicals to slow the growth of the Bermuda grass during the fall overseeding at Wigwam. Courtesy photo
Should golf courses overseed their turf?
The overseeding process has become somewhat controversial over the past decade or so.
The future of overseeding
Apart from tee boxes, the Grande Dunes Members Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C., opts not to overseed in the winter, instead opting to apply a grass-friendly paint to fairways and greens in order to provide visual definition. Tim Gavrich/GolfPass
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.
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.
How long does Kistler keep golfers off the fairways?
He doesn’t have to inconvenience golfers by keeping them off the fairways for seven to 10 days, like when the ryegrass was germinating, or when he watered the cool-season grass during the day.
Do golf clubs oversee their courses?
To provide colorful aesthetics, some clubs choose to overseed their courses. However, for some superintendents that annual chore is becoming smaller in scope, if not vanishing altogether.
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 grass can be difficult to putt on, so…
Emerging Alternative to Overseeding
- Overseeding a golf course requires time, labor and money, and inconveniences golfers during the grow-in times. Is there a better alternative? There might be one emerging. 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 …