Dormant Bermuda and Effect on Architecture

[Evan_Green]

The last couple of times I have played winter golf in the South I found myself thinking about the dormant bermuda grass in the rough and its effect on the golf course.

At times when the rough is spongy, the brown grass seems to have the effect of widening golf courses and further increases the number of different angles holes can be played since when it is spongy one can get excellent lies from the rough and thus the player may not fear missing the fairway.

However, if one is playing a course where the dead bermuda has sparse dead areas the hardpan lie may be more of a penalty than a rough in normal length rough, particularly around the greens.

I am wondering what some of you think about how these changes in the golf course caused by dormant bermuda have an effect on the architecture or strategy of holes. If anyone has some specific examples, I would be delighted to hear them.

Thanks

Evan Green

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Evan,
This year, I actually saw some clubs here in SoCal forgoe overseeding, and the seeing some of these courses, fairways and all in dormant bermuda was quite dramatic. I saw contours on these courses I had never ever seen before, and while the grass was somewhat spongy, it was still more then playable. Its something I wouldn't have a problem playing on at all, but I'm sure the Superintendents of these paticular courses certainly took a hit by the people that need green to play on.

[BCrosby]

Dormant Bermuda is terrific. Talk about firm and fast.

I look forward to the cool days in November in Georgia when the Bermuda begins to die back. Balls roll, fairways widen.

I look forward to the warm days in April when the Bermuda begins to grow back in. Balls won't roll, fairways tighten.

I've got two very different courses for the price of one. Great stuff.

Bob

[A_Clay_Man]

Evan- I'm not that experienced on dormant Bermuda but I did notice the issue you're referencing in Palm Springs after they had scalped the Bermuda. The lie seemed fine but because the top soil was a bit stirred-up it gave an almost impossible chance for recovery. The club seemed to go right under the ball. This made gaugung the shot very difficult. I've golfed on dormant, left alone Berumada and it seemed similar to dormant kikuyu, very playable and compared to it's verdant self, firm and fast.

[Steve Lang]

 

I'll echo several of above comments quickly.. from 13 yrs of SE TX brrmuda experi..

As Tommy_N saw in SoCal, one definitely sees more on fairways,.. but I notice much more on greens when the bermuda is dormant.

Fast and furious greens at beginning of winter, but then they get bumpy over time as winter moisture and dry periods creates differential  swelling and footprints can make weirdness occur around holes

On playing from the rough versus fairway, Evan your observation is correct, but its also definitely a luck of the draw thing, i.e.,  how high was the turf being kept when the nights got below 65°F and the bermuda finally stopped growing.  

In general, rough is fine to play out of in winter, much much more-so than in summer.  As one steers left or right, you don't care much about the rough.. but in springtime the fairway runs make you want to stay in the middle..