No one hopes for a summer like we’re having in the Northeast to learn lessons about their course or maintenance program, but that doesn’t mean this year’s struggles don’t offer a good opportunity to learn and push for improvements. If there is any area that seems to have taken it on the chin more than others this year, it is non-irrigated or heavily trafficked rough. However, rough areas established with newer turf varieties are performing better.
On a few recent visits to the Boston area and southern Maine, this point was easily proven. The differences between rough that is a mixture of several different grasses that have been growing on-site for decades and new sod laid next to it is striking. Many newer varieties of Kentucky bluegrass and turf-type tall fescue are bred specifically for golf course roughs and offer better heat and drought tolerance. They are also more traffic tolerant than older grasses. They hold their color longer and can stand up to summer stress better as well.
If your course has poor irrigation coverage, or just has poor-quality rough in general, this is a great time to take photos comparing new grasses to old ones to make your case for regrassing key areas later. It is also a good time to start seeding or sodding improved grass varieties into the rough. If a complete rough renovation is out of the question, I would start establishing improved varieties in high-traffic and high-visibility areas like tee shot landing zones and putting green surrounds.
Difficult summers that don’t seem to end are never fun. In the thick of it, it can be hard to find any positives when grass is struggling. But you should take advantage of these hard lessons to make plans for better turf moving forward.
Northeast Region Agronomists:
Darin Bevard, senior director, Championship Agronomy – dbevard@usga.org
Elliott L. Dowling, regional director, East Region – edowling@usga.org
Brian Gietka, agronomist – bgietka@usga.org
Information on the USGA’s Course Consulting Service
Contact the Green Section Staff