Julie Anderson
Each fall, golf courses throughout Arizona and the Southwest begin their annual overseeding with rye grass. The reason we do this is because our “base grass,” which is Bermuda grass, loses its color as the nights get cooler. If left alone, the Bermuda grass will go completely dormant, losing its color and turning brown, from around the first of November through May, the exact time when most of us arrive in SunBird, ready to see a healthy, green golf course at our front entrance and throughout our community.
Rye grass is an annual, meaning it will only live one season and then die. But what a season it has! It thrives in cooler temperatures and provides a lush, green carpet for our golfers and residents to enjoy. Then as the nights (and days) get hotter, the rye dies and the Bermuda grass springs back to life, gets its color back, and takes over for the months of June through October, and the cycle continues.
The whole overseeding process is expensive. Last year, the total cost for seed alone was over $38,000. While other courses have resorted to painting their grass (yes, they really do this) or letting their course go brown during the winter months, SunBird has always chosen to green up with rye grass. Overseeding is scheduled for Oct. 11 through 23, during which time, our golf course will be closed. We will reopen for play on Oct. 24, subject to weather.
We are committed to protecting the vivid-green fairways and community spaces that we love, and that helps sustain our attractive home values. A new committee has been formed under the umbrella name of SunBird Community Green to pursue various opportunities to raise funds. If you would like to donate to the annual overseed fund, please send a check to SunBird Golf or drop a check off at the Golf Shop. Every dollar helps in our quest to keep our community course healthy and green. Whether you choose to donate $50, $100, or $1,000, or any amount above or between, we thank you for your generosity and support! Your friends and neighbors, SunBird Golf Club Board.