Cooler temperatures in the desert southwest are a welcome sight after a long, hot summer, but the cold temperatures trigger bermudagrass to lose color, stop growing and enter dormancy. The cooler temperatures also bring a flock of golfers from colder climates. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for these golfers to complain about the “dead” or “burnt-out” grass when they see dormant or semidormant bermudagrass.
The non-overseeded bermudagrass is certainly not dead, it’s just sleeping. The bermudagrass loses its green color and growth subsides to a standstill in areas where low temperatures dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit – such as southern Nevada, the Coachella Valley and southern Arizona. The loss of color is simply a plant defense mechanism in response to the cold air and soil temperatures.
A golfer recently asked me if golf carts could damage the dormant bermudagrass. The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, bermudagrass is at the greatest risk of damage during the late fall, winter and spring months when it is not growing much, if at all. Even in coastal climates where bermudagrass retains some of its color, the risk of turf damage is elevated at this time of year. Concentrated golf cart traffic on dormant bermudagrass will thin the turf and wear off all the leaf blades, leaving only stubble behind. Wet soil amplifies the damage.
For golfers, be a good steward of the course during the winter months and follow these suggestions:
- Follow the posted golf cart traffic signs, scatter when leaving the cart paths and keep carts on the paths as much as possible.
- Focus on playing quality over color and enjoy the additional ball roll that non-overseeded bermudagrass provides. Even though the bermudagrass is brown, there is still leaf tissue to support the ball.
Take it easy on non-overseeded turf during these winter months because warm-season grasses like bermudagrass won’t resume faster growth and recovery until soil temperatures rise above 60 degrees.
West Region Agronomists:
Brian Whitlark, senior consulting agronomist – bwhitlark@usga.org
Cory Isom, agronomist – cisom@usga.org