Limited Play post re-design

[John Shimp]

My club is planning to reopen under limited play following an
extensive 8 month redesign this November. Limited play means max 52 rds per day from reopen date until April 1.
 
My question is, How necessary is it to limit play following a redo?

What parts of the turf or new architecture tend to be damaged immediately following construction?

How often have other courses had to shutdown again after opening due to too much traffic, etc? What areas of the course were damaged most? Greens, new sod in bunker or green surrounds, cart driveoff, etc?

[Chris Cupit]

To limit play is imperative.  Period.

the first year of new greens is crucial.  They are literally "infants" and the  new grass needs protecting.  After the first year of growth (I'm assuming two growing seasons for bent grass--a fall and spring prior to the first summer) you should be in the clear.

I wouldn't think you would need to limit play to 52 rounds per day much past the first 2 or maybe 3 months.  After that you just have to play it by ear and look for signs of stress and adjust as necessary.

We planted all our greens by September 1, 2006 and opened 9 holes on Nov 15 and the rest on Dec 15th.  Guest play was not allowed until January and the winter months see a slow down in play anyway.  We did close the course for one week in July and 4 days in August during the first summer just to give the greens a breather.  They are in excellent health one year later.  Our course wil normally do 36,000 rounds and this first year we wil do 30,000 or so.

[Adrian_Stiff]

As Chris says ... imperative.
it is baby grass.

[Jim Franklin]

Also Charlotte has not had the best weather for grass growing this summer so there could be some issues there as well. I would be happy if my club cared enough to restrict play to limit damage to the course after they did some work on it. It's kinda like playing on a course right after it was aereated .

[Matt MacIver]

Two years ago our Charlotte course re- did all 18 greens as well as some other smaller changes.  Opened early December for full play and our greens came through just fine -- but it was a normal winter so play was down.  This summer has been anything but normal, so TLC is rightly called for.