Heat wave and greens speeds

We are just coming out the other side of the hottest stretch certainly of this year and one of the more intense spells over the last few years too. We must play defense when the weather turns that oppressive. Greens require more water, speeds decrease, and the turf stresses, but luckily, we made it through relatively unscathed and the worst heat did not lock in for an extended period of time.

To prepare for a heat wave like what we just experienced, there are a few things we do to protect the cool season turf, like the greens. We increase out height of cut slightly, only by one thousandth of an inch, but even that small increase in height, increases leaf tissue by 8%. That difference means a great deal to the plant when it is working hard to survive. We also reduce stress to the plant by alternating mowing and rolling instead of doing both most days like we do during other times of the year.

Moisture management is also critical during a stretch of heat. The grass requires more water to continually try and cool itself and maintain other metabolic processes inside the tissue. We do not want the plant to run out of water with such high temperatures because it could take less than an hour for the plant to die. So, we load the soil up with slightly more water than normal to start the day, in preparation for the heat later in the afternoon. This makes the greens softer and decreases green speeds.

Our goal through the entire year, but especially during a stretch like this past week, is to make sure we have grass for tomorrow. We could push the greens harder, stress them more, and have a great day or two of golf conditions, but the price for that would be thin or dead areas and weeks and weeks of recovery time. Therefore, we prioritize health and longevity of the turfgrass over short term benefits.

Despite the above-mentioned tactics, Mother Nature is powerful and we do have a few minor blemishes after the heat. In a few places, weak species of turf could not handle the heat and basically burned. And some places were areas that ran out of water and wilted. There are no areas that suffered major damage and overall, we are pleased how the turf responded.

The summer is not over, and the heat is likely to return. But after this first stretch, we are satisfied with our position and will continue to be ready for more.

 

 

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Please remember to remove any bunker sand that may be stuck to your spikes before walking on the greens.

 

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Golf Cart tips

 

 

 

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org