Should golf courses overseed?
A good thick stand of dormant bermudagrass (brown from cold weather) provides good playing conditions throughout most of the winter and spring if golf cart traffic is managed properly. Tees and greens (bermudagrass) need to be overseeded to have better quality turf on these high traffic areas.
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.
How often do golf courses cut grass?
On average, greens are mowed at least five days per week, and in most cases six or seven days per week. Courses that choose to mow five or six days per week will take advantage of a closed Monday or Tuesday to skip mowing and focus more on agronomic programs like topdressing or aeration.
What season should you overseed?
The best time to overseed your lawn depends on where you live. In the cooler northern climates, the best time to overseed is in late summer to early fall. In fall the soil is warm enough to support germination, but the temperatures aren't too extreme for the tender new grass to develop before winter sets in.
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.
How do golf courses stay green in winter?
Putting greens may need a timeout Courses in cold climates may cover their greens until spring to protect them from harsh winter weather. Southern courses with bermudagrass putting greens will only cover their greens during short periods of very cold temperatures, keeping them available for play otherwise.
How do you maintain golf course grass?
There are four main factors that go into giving your lawn that lush, golf-course look.Mow your lawn properly. Often, people take shortcuts when it comes to mowing their lawn. ... Apply the right fertilizer (at the right times). ... Use the right amount of water (and consider irrigation). ... Stop the weeds dead in their tracks.
How often do golf courses spray?
To the casual observer, spraying greens every one or two weeks may appear to be overkill. However, short spray intervals allow superintendents to observe putting green performance throughout the season and apply products only at the appropriate time to maximize their efficacy.
How do golf courses cut grass so short?
To keep the grass so short on greens, special mowers are used. Golf course mowers are reel mowers, not rotary like most lawn mowers used at home. The reel spins and cuts the grass like a tight scissor cut. The cut height is set by adjusting the difference between the front and rear rollers.
What month overseed lawn in spring?
March days provide homeowners a chance to get a jump on spring overseeding projects. Grass seed sown in the first week in March has a 10 week head start on the weed and insect season that begins in earnest in mid-May.
Is it too late to overseed in November?
While November is not too late to plant grass seed, it is not without risks. Those risks can pay off with an easy planting season in the spring or it could mean the loss of your seeds if the weather warms up. We recommend following the planting guidelines on your grass seed for the best results.
What is the best time to aerate and overseed?
fallThe undisputed best time of year to aerate and seed a lawn is in the fall. Warm soils, cool nights and dying annual weeds make fall conditions the ideal time for aeration combined with overseeding as well as general lawn seeding. Unlike fall, spring soils are cold and packed full of dormant weed seeds ready to grow.
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...
Why do golf courses need overseeding?
Overseeding is generally done to keep the course open year-round, as one grass type goes dormant the other enters a growing season allowing for turf to stay playable .
What is overseeding in golf?
Overseeding is a process on the golf course in which grass seed is spread onto existing turf. Overseeding, also known as topdressing, promotes new growth and can be used to swap out existing turf and or dormant turf. A typical example of overseeding is when Bermudagrass goes dormant and is swapped with Ryegrass.
How long before overseeding to use growth regulator?
Utilize plant growth regulator three or four days before overseeding to help the new seed take.
What is DTE golf?
DTE Golf is a golf facility partner that utilizes a network of resources and professionals to support and optimize your course conditions. Removing costs and responsibilities from you and your course, DTE Golf can make the difference you’ve been looking for.
Can anyone read overseeding?
Anyone can read about overseeding, but not anyone can get it right. Hiring licensed and certified golf professionals are just as important as knowing yourself. Relying on the best possible staff, and having a support system for the future, means processes like overseeding and aeration don’t have to be a big deal anymore.
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.
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.
When to scalp Bermuda grass?
In the early fall, often after the course closes for several weeks, the maintenance staff will scalp off the Bermuda grass, followed by a heavy seeding of rye. To germinate, the Rye will need to be heavily and repeatedly watered and fertilized. During the early stages of this growth period, the turf is weak, which is why many courses go cart-path-only for the first several weeks after the original application.
Why are putts on newly overseeded greens so slow?
Mowing heights are kept higher than normal upon opening to help keep the new turf healthy and the heights are slowly lowered every few days or per week. This is why putts on newly overseeded greens will usually roll much slower than normal. They will also break less on most putts.
How long does it take to oversee a golf course in Phoenix?
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 is overseeding rye grass?
Overseeding is the process of changing turf from a summer Bermuda grass to a winter rye grass (there are various variations of each grass). Essentially, the Bermuda grass doesn’t like to grow much when temperatures get below 80 degrees and it actually turns yellow from frost when the temperatures go below freezing. Rye grass prefers the temperatures to be in the 80’s or below and handles the frost just fine (as long as you don’t walk on it while frosty – thus the reason for frost delays).
How to grow Bermuda grass?
The first step is to mow the Bermuda grass down as low as possible which turns it yellow. After cleaning up the clippings, Rye grass seed is spread throughout the course. The greens use a special blend of seed developed just for the low mowing heights. Once the course starts watering the seed, it usually takes 5-7 days to “pop” and begin to root into the soil as it grows. The course is watered several times per day as the seed must remain hydrated for optimal growth. Many courses will allow play to begin on the newly growing grass within a week of it “popping.”
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.
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.”
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 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.
Is Bermuda grass better than overseeded ryegrass?
Not only does dormant Bermuda require less maintenance than overseeded ryeg rass, it also provides a firmer, faster playing surface. Tee shots roll farther, a boost for many golfers who need all the distance they can get. And while the conditions might not be as pure, some would argue that that’s a good thing: it adds another layer of variety and challenge, which is what golf is all about.
Is ryegrass in the fall?
Courses that transition to ryegrass in the fall have to transition out of it in spring. That process can be difficult on Bermuda as it reawakens and finds itself in competition with the lingering ryegrass. No overseeding means no springtime competition. The Bermuda greens up faster and provides a healthier playing surface in the longer run as well.
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 grass is overseeding?
For those who aren't familiar with the practice, overseeding is typically done on courses with Bermuda grass, which goes dormant in winter. The top layer is scalped off and seeded with ryegrass, which grows in, allowing the course to keep its fairways, tees and greens looking nice and green for sun-starved Northerners.
When is golf season in the desert?
All these courses are gearing up for their high season, which generally runs from January through April.
What grass goes dormant in winter?
For those who aren't familiar with the practice, overseeding is typically done on courses with Bermuda grass, which goes dormant in winter. The top layer is scalped off and seeded with ryegrass, which grows in, allowing the course to keep its fairways, tees and greens looking nice and green for sun-starved Northerners. The rough, however, goes dormant giving the course a brown-on-green appearance.
When to wait for cart path only?
Our advice? Wait until December or be prepared to battle inconsistent conditions, cart-path-only rounds and course closures.
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 …