skip to main content

It is difficult to find a golf course in the Northeast without some stressed grass after all the rain and heat in July and August. Saturated soils and wet grass are much more prone to compaction and wear than dry turf and soil. As a result, low-lying areas like drainage swales and collection areas are struggling the most. High-traffic areas and pinch points have also struggled recently.

Concentrated traffic is a primary contributor to poor plant health regardless of the weather. Practice greens often experience more traffic than any other playing surface on the course. The sharp increase in rounds that most facilities are seeing this year is adding to the stress on practice greens.

Moving the holes on the practice green each day is one way to spread traffic. It is common to change holes every day on the course, but not as common on the practice green. Leaving holes in the same location for more than a day is inviting a lot of traffic in a relatively small area, thus wearing grass around those holes quicker.

Changing holes daily or even twice per day if the practice green is small, will spread traffic and provide some relief to grass. Turf thinning could still occur, but it will not be as pronounced when moving holes more often. This strategy will also promote a quicker recovery of worn turf. 

Northeast Region Agronomists:

Adam Moeller, director, Green Section Education – amoeller@usga.org

Darin Bevard, director, Championship Agronomy – dbevard@usga.org

Elliott Dowling, agronomist – edowling@usga.org

Paul Jacobs, agronomist – pjacobs@usga.org

Information on the USGA’s Course Consulting Service 

PDF Version