Why Do Golf Courses Overseed?
“Closed for overseeding!”
WHAT?! TWO WEEKS!!
Yes, you read that right. If you’re a golfer in certain parts of the U.S., particularly in areas like southern Arizona, California’s Coachella Valley or Las Vegas, Nevada, you’re almost certain to see these notices between August and October. Similarly, many courses in southern states such as Georgia, Florida, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and others also overseed as they head into the winter months.
So, what is overseeding and why do courses do it?
Overseeding is the process of spreading new grass seeds directly into the existing turf to promote new growth. Most southern states use Bermuda grass because of how well it tolerates heat. However, Bermuda struggles during winter’s colder temps, turning brown as it goes dormant with the potential to die if there’s a deep freeze.
Southern golf courses will thus overseed with ryegrass to keep conditions green during the fall and winter high seasons.
A few weeks prior to overseeding with ryegrass, the maintenance team will begin to mow the grass lower than usual while also gradually reducing watering schedules.
Once the course is heavily seeded, light and frequent watering is needed to maintain moisture until the seed germinates and starts to mature. The water is reduced as needed to maintain a consistent playing surface.
During this germination period, the playing surface is often wetter and softer, which is why many golf courses will impose cart-path-only restrictions.
One of the primary benefits of overseeding is aesthetics. Golfers love playing on an emerald green course, especially tourists who are trying to escape a dreary and wet winter. A brown course that looks dead just doesn’t have the same vibe!
More than that though, overseeded ryegrass recovers well from play with divot recovery that would not occur with dormant Bermuda. The ryegrass also absorbs golf cart traffic, helping to maintain turf cover during winter months. Low areas also stay drier and perform better with overseeded ryegrass.
So use those two weeks of “closed course” to work on the mental side of your game, knowing you’ll be returning to prime golf conditions all winter-long.
