As temperatures begin to slowly descend and western golf course superintendents breathe a small sigh of relief, the pressure ramps up to produce attractive and playable non-overseeded bermudagrass roughs. In the absence of aggressive cultural practices, bermudagrass grown at rough height (typically ranging from 1.25 to 2.5 inches) will become “puffy” with inconsistent height and density. This puffy appearance occurs as bermudagrass stems, stolons and leaves grow on top of one another, forming a dense mat. This vegetative mat is not healthy for the bermudagrass – it reduces water penetration into the soil and negatively impacts playability. The “laid-over” stems and stolons can grab a golf club, especially when hitting into the grain.
Experience has shown that grooming and vertical mowing alone does not remedy this situation. What the bermudagrass needs is a serious buzz cut! Western golf courses have been successful at addressing puffy bermudagrass roughs by aggressively scalping the turf once or twice in summer, typically in July and August.
To try this method, first stand up the bermudagrass with a spring-tine harrow rake and/or with vertical mowing. Next, scalp the rough to a height between 0.40 and 0.75 inch. This will likely require several passes with progressively lower heights to achieve a clean cut. The initial result will puzzle some of your golfers. The process will leave the roughs looking “dead” to the golfer with just bermudagrass stems showing and little or no green leaves. But do not despair, in 10-14 days or less the green leaves will return. Do not fertilize to expedite the healing process, that will just result in excessive growth and organic matter production.
The process, while temporarily disrupting the surface, will provide long-term rewards – at least until next growing season. The result will be a more upright surface with better aesthetics and playability. Additionally, once the turf returns to the desired rough height, there is far less risk of scalping.
For those courses looking to optimize the density and consistency of bermudagrass roughs, plan ahead and select a few dates next summer to conduct this aggressive strategy. Communicate to course leadership and golfers what to expect, both immediately after the process and the long-term benefits. If you would like to discuss this plan in greater detail, reach out to your regional USGA agronomist.
West Region Agronomists:
Brian Whitlark, regional director – bwhitlark@usga.org
Cory Isom, senior consulting agronomist – cisom@usga.org