Winter’s chill paid a visit to many parts of the Southeast recently. Staying ahead of the forecast is crucial for keeping your turf in peak condition throughout the season. Critical elements like strategic surface management practices, effective covering methods, moisture balance, aeration and compaction control, and pest monitoring all play vital roles in ensuring your ultradwarf bermudagrass greens remain healthy and resilient during winter’s most demanding days. Below are some management practices to help you survive the challenges of winter.

Adjust Surface Management Practices

• Alternate between mowing (if necessary) and rolling during winter to help achieve the required playability without damaging slow-growing or dormant turf.
  
  
• Consider raising the height of cut (HOC) before the turf heads into dormancy. The optimal increase varies depending on the course but a general guide is to increase the HOC 25% heading into winter.
  
  
• Continue to apply plant growth regulators throughout the winter at low rates. Trinexapac-ethyl is recommended at a rate of 1-2 ounces per acre. Applications every two weeks through the winter will help reduce any surge in growth that may occur during a warm stretch.
  
  
• For additional surface management tips, I recommend the article “Tips for Smoothing Bermudagrass Putting Greens During the Winter Season.”
  

Implement Proper Covering Techniques

• Use permeable turf covers when temperatures are forecast to drop below 20 degrees F, especially in frost pockets. Colder temperatures or prolonged cold may require a second cover or insulating materials.
  
  
• Consider applying a wetting agent and adequately irrigating before covering events to maintain sufficient moisture levels while the greens are covered.
  
  
• Ensure covers are securely fastened to prevent wind damage and maintain even insulation.
  
  
• For more information on when and how to cover, reference the article “Winter Toolkit for Ultradwarf Bermudagrass Putting Greens: Part 1.”
  

Manage Moisture Effectively

• Avoid overwatering before winter, as saturated soils are detrimental to playability and also increase the risk of disease and freezing injury.
  
  
• Apply wetting agents to the putting greens to ensure adequate and uniform moisture levels and to reduce the chance of winterkill.
  
  
• Maintain enough soil moisture throughout winter to avoid desiccation, particularly during dry, windy conditions. Moisture meters can help identify the optimal moisture content.
  
  
• The article “Wetting Agents and Winter Injury” has more helpful tips on fall and winter applications of surfactants.
  

Aeration and Compaction Management

• By this time of year, most substantial aeration has likely been completed on ultradwarf greens. However, using smaller tines to alleviate soil compaction can be beneficial. The most commonly used tines for winter aeration are smaller solid or hollow tines.
  
  
• Rotate golfer and maintenance traffic patterns regularly to distribute wear and minimize localized turf damage.
  

Pest Monitoring

• Monitor for winter diseases like leaf spot, Pythium, Microdochium patch and cream leaf blight, and apply fungicides preventatively if conditions favor disease development.
  
  
• Late fall and early winter fungicide applications of chlorothalonil and azoxystrobin can improve ultradwarf bermudagrass quality throughout winter dormancy and spring greenup.
  
  
• Covering greens can result in a proliferation of disease, so fungicide applications prior to prolonged covering events may be warranted.
  
  
• Keep an eye out for any nematode or bermudagrass mite populations that may be damaging the turf.
  
  
• Lee Butler at NC State took a closer look at winter diseases and how to manage them in his article “Keep Old Man Winter From Hurting Bermudagrass Putting Greens.”
  
  

By implementing these strategies, ultradwarf bermudagrass greens can maintain resilience throughout the challenging winter months. For an even deeper dive into this topic, check out the Green Section Record article “Best Management Practices for Preventing Winter Injury on Ultradwarf Bermudagrass Putting Greens.” Proper preparation and care will protect the turf from seasonal stress and set the stage for a smoother, faster recovery when temperatures rise. A proactive approach helps the greens remain healthy and strong during the winter golf season and beyond.

Southeast Region Agronomists:

Jordan Booth, Ph.D., senior director, USGA Course Consulting Service – jbooth@usga.org

Chris Hartwiger, director, Agronomy – chartwiger@usga.org

Chris Neff, agronomist – cneff@usga.org

Information on the USGA’s Course Consulting Service

Contact the Green Section Staff