Brendan Waddell, Superintendent
As temperatures begin to rise at springtime, you may notice that the golf course is changing color again. The change is due to the ryegrass slowly dying from the increased temperatures, and soon we will transition back to Bermuda grass. Oftentimes during this process, people think that it is because of a lack of water or sprinklers not functioning properly, so they water more, which causes the rye grass to stick around longer, making it difficult for the Bermuda grass to transition back.
During our transition, we will be doing a few things to help the Bermuda grass come back and grow. First, we will start lowering our cutting heights so that the canopy is more open, allowing heat to reach the soil surface. Second, is to cut back on the water so that the ryegrass stresses out and the Bermuda grass strives to grow. Finally, we will fertilize the course so that the Bermuda grass comes in healthy and strong.
I wish you all a great spring and summer, and before you know it, we will be back to overseed, and start another season together. It does not get any better than that!