As temperatures rise, impacts of the severe winter weather in the southern part of the central U.S. are becoming more obvious. Damaged turf is now standing out from bermudagrass that survived and has started growing, showing where recovery will be needed. That said, some areas have been cooler than normal and haven’t had much weather that is ideal for vigorous bermudagrass growth yet. However, temperatures have been warm enough in most cases for bermudagrass to start growing, so areas of a course that still look damaged are probably going to need some help to recover.
There are various methods for recovery but when it comes to isolated areas in fairways, collars and tees, sodding seems to be the most popular approach because a quick turnaround is a priority on these primary playing surfaces. Once you have identified the areas needing repair, you will have to decide what turf variety to plant. Although it is never a good thing when grass dies on the golf course, it does present an opportunity to introduce improved varieties that may be better suited to your needs or growing environment. A few points to consider when selecting which type of grass to use for making repairs are outlined below:
- In cooler parts of the region, cold-tolerant bermudagrasses remain a top choice. There are several options but it is important to remember that grasses bred for cold tolerance seem to also have poorer winter color retention. In northern climates this probably doesn’t matter – a grass that is more likely to survive winter on an annual basis is better than one that will stay green longer. However, this decision becomes more difficult in areas farther south where severe winters are less likely and winter play is more popular.
- Some grasses are better able to tolerate low mowing heights than others. If collars or tees are mowed at heights below a quarter of an inch, some varieties are more suitable than others.
- One of the best ways to evaluate new grass varieties is to plant a couple of options side by side on your golf course. This will allow you to assess the performance of modern varieties and to know what grass performs best under your maintenance regimes and in the various growing environments on your course.
Plant breeding programs across the country have successfully developed numerous improved turf varieties. If you need to sod areas that suffered from winterkill, why not introduce grasses that were specifically designed for improved cold tolerance, shade tolerance or drought resistance? If you would like to discuss different grass options further, contact your regional USGA agronomist. Through a Course Consulting Service visit, we can help you develop a detailed recovery plan specific to your course, identify the best modern grass variety, and build a communication plan so golfers can know what to expect over the next few months.
Central Region Agronomists:
Paul Jacobs, agronomist – pjacobs@usga.org
Zach Nicoludis, agronomist – znicoludis@usga.org