Richmond VA Courses discuss Bent Grass, Weather, one Champion Bermuda, etc.

[Jonathan Mallard]

Fairly interesting to me in that it is discussed so extensively.

http://richmondbizsense.com/2016/09/15/local-golf-courses-its-not-been-easy-keeping-green/

[Dave Givnish]

Are all of those courses still trying to keep bent grass greens? I would think that at least one or two with higher traffic levels would have plans to go to Bermuda - especially if they don't overseed in the winter with rye.

[Carl Nichols]

Are all of those courses still trying to keep bent grass greens? I would think that at least one or two with higher traffic levels would have plans to go to Bermuda - especially if they don't overseed in the winter with rye.

The article discusses one such course.

[Carl Rogers]

Riverfront in Suffolk, VA has the original, circa 1997-1998, bent grass greens.  This summer was a rough one on them and I wonder with the large amount traffic on them when management will face the issue and investment of close the place down and re-grass with one of the newer bermudas.

[Bill Gayne]

Historically, middle Atlantic is a tough place to be as a transitional zone. Bent grass gets overheated in the summer and bermuda can be hit with hard freezes in the winter. It's like tails I win, heads you lose.

[Scott Weersing]

The courses in the Pinehurst area have moved to bermuda greens.



Bent grass greens are great if they don't overheat. So I am not sure why more courses have not converted to bermuda greens.


I guess that in the winter, you have to paint them green as the bermuda goes dormant.

[Mike Tanner]

I've lived in the Tidewater region of Virginia since the 1960s and played golf since the late 1970s. I've seen the area's courses go from Bermudagrass greens to bent grass varieties like A1 and A4. There's no magic bullet (or turf grass)in the East Coast's transitional zone. But for me the choice would be Bermudagrass. I'd rather putt on dormant Bermuda in cool weather months than on stressed-out or dying bent grass in the warm weather months.

[Jerry Kluger]

There is no question that the bermuda greens are better in the summer but in the winter they need to be covered at times in the winter.  I understand that 29 degrees is the point at which they have to be covered but most courses will cover them if there is a frost warning which  means you need the manpower to do so.  You then have the issue of at what temperature you have to remove the covers plus members will want to play if the temperature gets to a certain level.  It is a no win situation. 

[Sean_A]

A lot of talk about the greens...what about fairways?  In the past I always played Bermuda in season...which for me is the shoulder months.  This recent trip found me in the Carolinas in August on Bermuda fairways...jeepers...they were all cut like rough.  Very sticky, no roll and shaggy. Are the newer strains of Bermuda better able to cope with being cut a proper height? 


Ciao

[Tom Fagerli]

No free lunch when it comes to greens maintenance. Covers, verticutting, top dressing. Cold v hot.
In my opinion some of what has been happening this year is the poa has wilted. Many, many bent greens have lots of poa in them and the poa can't take the heat as we know. However, it appears to be able to rise like Lazarus and by Oct most places will be scratching their heads wondering if they need to replace as the poa will be thriving again. Green replacement is not in the budget at most places

[Chris Cupit]

A lot of talk about the greens...what about fairways?  In the past I always played Bermuda in season...which for me is the shoulder months.  This recent trip found me in the Carolinas in August on Bermuda fairways...jeepers...they were all cut like rough.  Very sticky, no roll and shaggy. Are the newer strains of Bermuda better able to cope with being cut a proper height? 


Ciao

Shaggy bermuda fairways in August sounds like a maintainence issue as bermuda thrives in the heat and humidity.  Bermuda grass can generally be cut extremely low and provide firm, fast conditions and plenty of roll.  Maybe there was unusually wet weather and they couldn't mow or maybe their clientele simple prefers a "fluffier" fairway?

[BCowan]

Haven't listened to audio.  Pure Distinction is growing on practice green in Dallas and is taking 100 degree days like a champ.  I see the VA, NC, and TN courses going back to bent in 15-20 years.  Things come full circle.  Now pushing greens to 11-13 on stimp is what ruins the advances in turf grass.  When flagstick bent becomes available it's really going to help courses out for its resistance to dollar spots. It has 10 years of great results at a midwest club.  What I'm interested in knowing is how many rounds a day in summertime 93 plus degree heat are played in NC, VA, and TN tracks.  I love how firm hybrid bermuda greens are.  Firmness is most important to me as a golfer. 

[Anthony_Nysse]

  All these discussion and decisions come down to when clubs what to be at their best. We even had bentgrass here at one time because of our season. It was just a struggle to GET to season. Do they want to be the best in the shoulder season? The summer? Your grass selections should be based off of that.
  Lived in Texas and bentgrass is still king. 95% the high end privates are still bentgrass and until one of those dives into a UD, they will remain bent, IMO. Trinity Forest is Champion, so it will be interesting how that has an effect.