As temperatures rise across the Southeast and golf activity increases, turf has either emerged from dormancy or is transitioning from overseeded conditions back to its bermudagrass base. Maintaining a high-quality bermudagrass practice tee during the busy months ahead requires a disciplined management program that balances turf performance, player expectations and long-term sustainability. Unlike other surfaces that receive periodic recovery time, practice tees are subjected to concentrated, repetitive use that often makes them one of the most heavily stressed areas on the property. Successful management depends on maintaining consistent turf vigor while implementing practices that promote surface uniformity throughout the growing season.
One of the most effective management strategies is to incorporate artificial turf into the practice tee complex. Synthetic hitting surfaces give the natural turf a break during periods of bad weather, stress or transition. Temporarily shifting to mats throughout the season also gives the practice tee turf a little time to recover before more divots are added. The goal is for artificial turf to complement, not replace, natural grass surfaces by providing rotational flexibility and preserving bermudagrass density during peak seasonal demand. Facilities that strategically integrate synthetic hitting areas often maintain superior turf quality and presentation on practice tees year-round. Asking golfers to hit off range mats even just a few days each week can make a big difference.
Traffic management is equally important to long-term success. Tee markers and hitting stations should be moved frequently and with the goal of distributing wear evenly across the practice tee. Rotating players both side to side and forward and backward over the teeing area minimizes wear and tear within the hitting area. Adequate tee size is critical for distributing wear, and facilities with a limited amount of usable space on their practice tee will struggle to maintain good conditions during periods of intense use. Heavily divoted areas should be given sufficient recovery time before returning to use, and temporary closures of a grass tee are often necessary to maintain acceptable conditions.
Fertility programs should promote steady growth and rapid divot recovery without creating excessive thatch or soft, unstable playing surfaces. Bermudagrass practice tees typically require a more aggressive nutritional program than fairways due to constant traffic and recovery demands. Spoon-feeding nitrogen throughout the growing season encourages consistent density and recovery while minimizing excessive growth surges that negatively affect mowing quality and surface firmness. Maintaining balanced potassium levels is especially important during periods of environmental stress and heavy traffic. Supplemental micronutrients and biostimulants may further enhance turf resiliency and recovery.
Cultivation practices remain fundamental to sustaining long-term turf health on practice tees. Frequent core aeration, deep-tine cultivation, and sand topdressing are necessary to alleviate compaction and maintain good surface performance. Light-and-frequent sand topdressing applications help smooth divots and improve consistency. Incorporating a sand-and-peat divot mix, such as an 80/20 or 90/10 blend, can improve moisture retention and promote divot recovery. In addition, fraise mowing every three to five years can help restore the practice tee back to its original level, remove excessive organic matter and sand accumulation, and stimulate new bermudagrass growth.
Is your practice tee prepared to withstand the challenges of recovery during this demanding time of year and throughout the upcoming growing season? To help you get the most out of your grass practice tee, evaluate the daily, weekly and monthly maintenance practices currently in place and determine whether the tee is delivering the best possible conditions.
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, senior agronomist – cneff@usga.org
Mitch Leininger, agronomist - mleininger@usga.org