Much of the north-central U.S. did not experience ideal conditions for promoting recovery of damaged rough areas this fall, especially at golf courses without irrigation in the rough. Because spring seeding can be a challenge, an option worth considering is dormant seeding with turf-type tall fescue this winter.
Research conducted at the University of Minnesota on dormant seeding turf-type tall fescue in crabgrass-infested plots has shown promising results. Seeding was performed with a drop seeder when soil temperatures went below 40 F. The test plots were not irrigated and a starter fertilizer was applied in late April. Turf-type tall fescue was established and holding its own against weeds in the plots by late spring and was very successful by fall, outperforming Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue plots.
If you have rough areas that tend to struggle every year, implementing dormant seeding with turf-type tall fescue could help increase populations of a grass that is more heat tolerant, drought resistant and disease resistant than other options. At the very least, this practice is worth testing in a few areas to evaluate its effectiveness.
The 2025 golf season was challenging for many reasons. Hopefully the offseason provides time to relax and get some well-earned time away, but if you have lingering areas of damaged rough, try putting some seed out before your course is covered with snow. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results next year! For more information on setting your golf course up for success in 2026, reach out to your regional USGA agronomist.
Central Region Agronomists:
Zach Nicoludis, regional director, Central Region – znicoludis@usga.org
Tom Gould, agronomist – tgould@usga.org