Dead grass on a golf course is never a good thing, but every course is bound to lose some turf from time to time. When it happens way out in the rough it’s not usually a big deal, but when grass dies on tees, greens, fairways or any high-visibility area, golfers notice and superintendents get nervous. Then come the questions about what happened – why did that grass die? The answer usually involves a combination of things, some of which may be totally outside the superintendent’s control. Let’s line up some of the usual suspects and learn a little more about their role in those bare spots.

Too Much Traffic

Golf carts, maintenance equipment and even foot traffic add stress to grass. If growing conditions are good and traffic can be spread out, it may not be much of an issue. However, in places where traffic gets concentrated, grass may thin out or disappear altogether. This is especially common during bad weather or in difficult growing environments like densely shaded parts of the course. Bare spots at the end of cart paths, in areas where mowers turn, and where golfers walk between bunkers are all common examples of traffic damage. If there is no practical way to spread out the traffic, all the superintendent can do is try to keep the grass as healthy as possible and hope for the best. Don’t be surprised if some traffic trouble spots need to be regrassed almost every year.

Those Pesky Pests

There are many pests that injure grass, and some can kill big areas within a few days. Fungal diseases, insects, parasites and various animals can all cause problems. Golf courses can make preventative applications to control many insects and diseases, but not all courses can afford them. Pests are also continually evolving and can develop resistance to products. No matter what type of control programs a golf course uses, there may be times when the conditions are just right for a particular pest and the grass ends up paying the price.

Water Woes

Too much or too little water can cause dead grass. Even though the vast majority of golf courses have an irrigation system, the quality and coverage of those systems varies a lot. It doesn’t take many hot and dry days to highlight weaknesses in the system. If dry weather persists, brown spots will get bigger and the grass will eventually thin out and die – especially in areas with heavy traffic. On the flip side, too much moisture in the soil can suffocate grass or promote damaging diseases. Excessive moisture also makes grass more vulnerable to damage from traffic and extreme heat or cold. Regrading areas or installing drainage can improve problem spots, but not all courses have resources available for these projects.

Tree Trouble

Trees deserve special mention as both a killer of grass and a contributing factor to the other problems we’ve already covered. Trees compete directly with grass for light, nutrients and water, and trees will win those battles every time. Even if competition with trees doesn’t kill the grass directly, a little additional stress can push things over the edge. This is why you often see damage from traffic, pests and drought in areas near trees. The combined stress is the killer. Tree management helps a lot, but it costs money, and golfers are often reluctant to support selective tree removal – even if they also get upset about the dead grass in densely shaded areas.

With all these threats to the turf, it’s incredible how much beautiful grass there is on golf courses! Superintendents do their best to prevent any dead grass, but sometimes the deck is stacked against them. More maintenance resources and better infrastructure certainly helps, but even courses with every tool at their disposal will lose grass. When that happens, it’s usually just a matter of time before the maintenance team and Mother Nature get things back to normal. Until then, please try to be patient and know that nobody dislikes dead grass more than the maintenance team that works so hard to keep those little plants alive.