Spring is an exciting time for golf in the Southeast as we leave winter behind and re-energized golfers hit the course to enjoy the changing of the seasons. Just remind them that the bright green grass and dense turf they see during televised golf tournaments at this time of year may not reflect what most courses look like. As we documented earlier this month in the article “The Ups and Downs of Spring Course Conditions,” spring can be a trying time on the golf course and it may take some time for courses to get into summer shape.
Rounds of golf are still high compared to pre-pandemic numbers, which means increased traffic from carts, more divots on tees and extra stress on greens. Traffic, coupled with tough weather this winter, will no doubt set back turfgrass health as it breaks dormancy. A severe cold snap in December, a warm spell in February, high winds, severe storms, and widely variable spring temperatures resulted in many golf courses not getting off to the best start in 2023. Keep in mind that no amount of fertilizer or water can overcome a lack of growth and recovery due to cold soil temperatures. We just have to be a little patient. Growing degree-days are accumulating quickly and most areas that don’t look great now will recover simply by waiting for warmer soil temperatures to return and growing conditions to improve.
