November is here and we will see cooler temperatures, particularly during the nighttime hours. This will cause the bermudagrass areas to begin to go dormant and change color throughout the fall and winter months. Some of you may be wondering why this happens and what it means for course conditions and overall playability.
Bermuda typically grows best once soil temperatures exceed 60 degrees. When the air and soil temperatures drop, the grass has a plant defense mechanism that causes it to grow more slowly. The grass is still very much alive even though it may appear that it is unhealthy and perhaps too dry. As far as the playability is concerned, there is plenty of leaf tissue to provide a good lie and the shorter, firmer surface provides added distance off the tee.
Also, over the last couple of weeks we have eluded to our landscape improvement project throughout the clubhouse grounds. We recently met with the contractor to firm up the start dates and how the sequencing of the areas being transitioned will occur. Updates will continue and you can expect to see some noticeable activity very soon.
