Fairway Overseeding: Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Objectively...

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lVhere concentrated cart traffic occurs due to bunkers, mounds, or trees, the bermudagrass will transition poorly. Fairway Overseeding: Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Objectively evaluating the impacts of fairway overseeding will determine if your course is ready to make the necessary sacrifices. by BRIAN M. MALOY H 1RWAYOVERSEEDING is a practice that has become sur- rounded in controversy at many golf courses in the southern half of the United States, where bermudagrass is the dominant turfgrass species. The benefits of winter overseeding are of course widely publicized in popular golf magazines where advertisers make every effort to lure golfers to their courses with glossy pictures of emerald green fairways. Unfortunately, the side effects that become evident during the following summer season are rarely, if ever, advertised as they would send golfers running to neighboring courses that do not overseed their fairways. The need to overseed is best deter- mined by whether a course relies on making the bulk of its income dur- ing the cooler months of the year or the warmer months of the year. For example, there are many golf courses located in the southern states that typically receive the majority of their annual rounds between November and June by attracting seasonal residents, northern vacationers, and business travelers. Courses that elect not to overseed their fairways generally are those with a majority of year-round residents who play all season long. Unfortunately, it is at these very courses that problems develop when a small group of golfers want the fairways to be green in winter and in perfect playing condition during the summer. Analyzing six common arguments used to promote fairway overseeding can reveal serious flaws, which, in turn, may change your mind on this topic. Flawed Arguments The first argument is that overseed- ing will increase the total number of rounds played throughout the year. This statement is rarely valid for crowded courses that generally find it impossible to squeeze another player onto the starter's sheet. A good case in JANUARYIFEBRUARY 2000 1

Transcript of Fairway Overseeding: Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Objectively...

Page 1: Fairway Overseeding: Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Objectively evaluating the impacts of fairway overseeding will determine if your course is ready

lVhere concentrated cart traffic occurs due to bunkers, mounds, or trees, the bermudagrass will transition poorly.

Fairway Overseeding:Does It Make Dollars or Sense?Objectively evaluating the impacts of fairway overseeding will determineif your course is ready to make the necessary sacrifices.by BRIAN M. MALOY

H1RWAYOVERSEEDING is apractice that has become sur-rounded in controversy at many

golf courses in the southern half of theUnited States, where bermudagrass isthe dominant turfgrass species. Thebenefits of winter overseeding are ofcourse widely publicized in populargolf magazines where advertisers makeevery effort to lure golfers to theircourses with glossy pictures of emeraldgreen fairways. Unfortunately, the sideeffects that become evident during thefollowing summer season are rarely, ifever, advertised as they would sendgolfers running to neighboring coursesthat do not overseed their fairways.

The need to overseed is best deter-mined by whether a course relies onmaking the bulk of its income dur-ing the cooler months of the year orthe warmer months of the year. Forexample, there are many golf courseslocated in the southern states thattypically receive the majority of theirannual rounds between November andJune by attracting seasonal residents,northern vacationers, and businesstravelers.

Courses that elect not to overseedtheir fairways generally are those witha majority of year-round residents whoplay all season long. Unfortunately, itis at these very courses that problems

develop when a small group of golferswant the fairways to be green in winterand in perfect playing condition duringthe summer. Analyzing six commonarguments used to promote fairwayoverseeding can reveal serious flaws,which, in turn, may change your mindon this topic.

Flawed ArgumentsThe first argument is that overseed-

ing will increase the total number ofrounds played throughout the year.This statement is rarely valid forcrowded courses that generally find itimpossible to squeeze another playeronto the starter's sheet. A good case in

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Indian Creek Golf Course, Dallas, Texas, tested the theory that overseeding willincrease the total number of rounds played throughout the year. The overseeding didnot create sufficient additional rounds of golf from October through March to warrantits expense. The length of day and climatic conditions had a greater impact on thenumber of rounds played.

The fourth argument is that fairwayoverseeding improves the winter sur-vival of bermudagrass. This is not true,according to Dr. Robert Carrow, Pro-fessor of Turfgrass Stress Physiology atthe University of Georgia. Bermuda-grass under stress from competitionhas a lower percentage of stored carbo-hydrates, which in turn increases thepercentage of water in the viable tissue.Hence, freezing temperatures below10°Fcreate ice crystals inside individualcells, causing their outer walls to burstopen. In other words, the bermuda-grass is more prone to the phenomenonof winterkill .

Dr. Carrow reports that some over-seeded courses occasionally fare betterwhen more irrigation is applied on thefairways. This reduces the potential ofwinter desiccation and/or may providesome insulation during short periods ofextreme cold.

The fifth argument should receive'little credence without a survey thataccurately details the pros and consof overseeding. Those with an agendaoften say, "We've spoken with amajority of the membership and theywant the course overseeded this win-ter." The first question that shouldcome to mind is, "Were the individualssurveyed told that in many cases thetrue cost of oversee ding exceeds$100,000 and that the condition of thecourse next summer will more thanlikely suffer as a result?" Odds arethese details were kept secret.

To determine if the membership ofThe Country Club of North Carolinawanted the course overseeded, a surveywas taken in 1989. The results showedthat 14% of the members were in favorof oversee ding, 54 % were against over-seeding, and 31% had no opinion.What is interesting is that the membersfavoring overseeding played just 2,000rounds per year, whereas those againstoversee ding played 15,000 rounds peryear, and those with no opinion playedless than 3,000 rounds per year. Asmade evident by this survey, a decisionto overseed fairways at a particularcourse may be more of a case of thesqueaky wheel getting the grease thanthe actual desire of a majority of themembership. (Note: The Country Clubof North Carolina currently overseeds18 of 36 holes to satisfy all segments ofthe membership.)

Lastly, argument six: fairway over-seeding will produce more so-calledhigh-quality rounds. Depending onthe seasonal use of a golf course, it isactually possible that overseeding can

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purchase or rental of additional equip-ment to complete the process of over-seeding.

The third argument for fairway over-seeding is that the transition back tobermudagrass the following summerneed not cause problems, as it c'an besuccessful if managed properly. Just askany Green Section agronomist in aregion where oversee ding is practicedand he will tell you that the transitionfrom perennial ryegrass to bermuda-grass is rarely pretty. Transition prob-lems are as much a part of oversee dingas pain is a part of dental work. Furthercomplicating the challenge of a smoothtransition are the many new varietiesof perennial ryegrass that have becomemore heat tolerant and, as a result,more persistent during early summer.This persistence increases the compe-tition for space, nutrients, water, andsunlight between perennial ryegrassand bermudagrass, with the lattersuffering long-term consequences.

Consider this analogy: Overseedingfairways at a rate of 400 pounds of seedper acre is equivalent to spreading 11weed seeds per square inch across yourhome lawn and then expecting thebermudagrass to emerge unscathed thefollowing spring. Now, raise the seed-ing rate to 1,000 pounds per acre asis done at desert southwest resortcourses. Can you really believe that oneturf species can be grown on top ofanother without causing problems?

Table 1

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point is Indian Creek Golf Course,which is a 36-hole facility in the Dallasmetropolitan area. Given that there aretwo courses, they decided to test theargument by oversee ding the fairwayson one and not the other. As Table 1reveals, there was no significant dif-ference between the total number ofrounds played at each of the twocourses from October through March.In fact, the greatest difference in thetotals was due to inclement weatherand shorter days that affected the totalnumber of rounds equally on bothcourses.

The second argument in favor offairway overseeding is that it does notreally cost as much as some expertssay, leading to the conclusion thatthe practice should not be based oneconomics. Advocates of oversee dingusually try to propose that the costdoes not go beyond that of the seed,which ranges from $350 to $550 peracre. In reality, however, the total costis much greater.

For most courses in the Southwest,the cost of oversee ding ranges from$750 to $1,500 per acre since theseeding rates used are much higher.Additional costs to consider includethe expense of water, fertilizer, equip-ment maintenance, fuel, and labor foradditional mowing. Often overlookedcosts are the need to purchase ber-mudagrass sod for areas that transitionpoorly the following summer and the

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When analyzed quantitatively, the number of rounds played under good conditionsjustifies overseeding the Arizona course, but not the California course.

The SCGA Members Club in California is an example of a facility that receivesbalanced year-round play. Spring, summer, and fall play is slightly higher than thewinter months, with a total of 61,600 rounds for the year.

The majority of the 70,000 annual rounds at Sun City Vistoso Golf Club in Arizonatake place from November through May. During the shorter days of winter, twoshotgun starts per day are required, five days per week.

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Table 4

Example: California Arizona

Overseeding Scenario #1 #2 #1: #2

Rounds Pl~ed - 46,150 38,000 48,800 52,500Good Con itions

Rounds Played - 15,450 18,600 26,200 17,500Poor CondItions

Rounds Lost 0 5,000 0 5,000 1I

Annually

negatively affect the total number ofhigh-quality rounds played. The resultdepends on (a) which seasons themajority of rounds are played, (b) theduration of normal bermudagrass dor-mancy, and (c) the duration andseverity of disruption caused by theannual transition from perennial rye-grass to bermudagrass.

To analyze this situation, comparethe two following courses with differingannual usage in the Green Section'sSouthwest Region. The first course isThe Southern California Golf Associ-ation Members' Club at Rancho Cali-fornia (SCGA) located in Murrieta,California. This course is a daily-feeoperation that has a loyal year-roundclientele. The peak of the golfing yearoccurs between April and October (seeTable 2) when the extended daylighthours allow SCGA members to enjoythe course. The second course is SunCity Vistoso Golf Club located inTucson, Arizona. This course is host toa desert resort community where up to60% of the golfers are temporary resi-dents and the peak of the golfing yearoccurs between November and May(see Table 3).

Based on the following scenarios,winter oversee ding affects each coursequite differently:

Scenario 1: Assumes overseeding isnot practiced and that poor playingconditions are defined as dormant fair-ways from December through March.

Scenario 2: Assumes the course isclosed during October to completeoverseeding and that poor playing con-ditions are defined as immature, thinturf during November and Decemberand July 15th through September, whenthe effects of transition occur.

To see how overseeding would servethe two courses differently, please noteTable 4.

The quality and playability of theperennial ryegrass during the winterand the degree of disruption causedby the transition back to bermudagrassthe following summer are the criteriaused to judge the success of fairwayoversee ding. The whole process canbest be described as a balancing actbetween the maintenance practices re-quired for each of two turfgrass species.If oversee ding is a sound decision foryour course, you must have realisticexpectations and understand that withthe good comes some bad. Also, youmust be aware that certain sacrificeswill be required that ultimately inter-rupt course usage, increase operating

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Most golfers prefer the dark green color of perennial ryegrass. Unfortunately, due tothe improved heat tolerance of the perennial ryegrasses, they compete with thebermudagrass base longer into the summer season.

costs, and disrupt summer playingconditions.

Proper Timing - Setting overseed-ing dates based upon the last scheduledtournament of the season can be aformula for failure. Research indicatesthat the optimum time to establish seedis when soil temperatures are between72°P and 78°P at a four-inch depth.This equates to air temperatures ofbetween 600P and 700P at night and800P and 900p during the day. Over-seeding too early increases the potentialof seedling diseases and bermudagrasscompetition, while overseeding toolate increases the number of weeksrequired to produce complete coveragedue to slowed growth from coolertemperatures.

Monitoring soil temperatures to de-termine the optimum planting date isfar superior to blindly selecting acalendar date. Since this method is notentirely practical, selecting a calendardate based upon historical soil tem-peratures is the most common courseof action.

Proper Seedbed Preparation -One of the greatest causes of a poorwinter overseeding is improper seed-bed preparation. Reducing the densityof the bermudagrass canopy throughmoderate vertical mowing is importantto allow good seed-to-soil contact.Vertical mowing is disruptive to play,but essential for success!

As the growth of bermuda grass slowsin early fall, it begins storing carbo-hydrates that help it tolerate low tem-peratures and provide a source ofenergy to fuel spring green-up. Ifvertical mowing is done while daytimetemperatures are above 85°P, the stillactively growing bermudagrass will

expend stored carbohydrates to im-mediately repair and recover from thedamage. With this in mind, severevertical mowing should be avoidedduring overseeding preparation be-cause it will reduce bermudgrasshardiness in the spring, therefore pro-ducing a poor transition. (If excessthatch needs to be removed via aerifi-cation to make seed-to-soil contact, itshould be scheduled at least 30 daysprior to overseeding, while the ber-mudagrass is actively growing, to avoidspotty or blotchy results from seedgerminating in open holes.)

Unrestricted Watering - After seed-ing, irrigation should be applied threeto seven times per day for seven toten days to facilitate germination. Hereagain, the practice of oversee ding un-avoidably disrupts playing conditionsin the fall. Late evening watering mustbe avoided, since seedlings that remainwet all night often develop diseaseproblems.

Irrigation System - All other fac-tors being equal, the quality of over-seeding depends largely on adequatequantities of uniformly distributedwater applied frequently throughoutthe day. Por a successful winter over-seeding, it is imperative to have a state-of-the-art irrigation system capable ofbeing programmed for repetitive water-ing cycles. Replacing a poor irrigationsystem to support the practice of over-seeding usually costs in the neighbor-hood of $1,300,000.

Closing the Course - To produceoptimum playing conditions fromDecember through June, courses in theDesert Southwest typically will beclosed for the month of October. Thisis essential because of the disruption

caused by vertical mowing, seeding,and, most of all, frequent watering.

Traffic Control - The additionalmoisture needed for seed germinationcauses large wet areas that, when com-bined with cart traffic, cause significantsoil compaction and physical seedlingdamage. Por these reasons courses thatclose for less than 30 days should havecontinuous paths, enabling them torestrict cart traffic until the seedlingsmature. If the course is not closed andtraffic cannot be restricted, the qualityof the oversee ding will be greatlydiminished.

Chemical Budget - Various herbi-cides and plant growth regulators, suchas diquat, mefluidide, and maleichydrazide, have been used with mixedresults to reduce bermudagrass growthor desiccate its foliage to reduce verticalmowing requirements. Most recently,trinexapac-ethyl has been shown toeffectively reduce bermudagrass growthwith less severe side effects. Althoughthe purpose of the trinexapac-ethylapplication is to reduce bermudagrassgrowth during seed germination, it canalso increase density. Therefore, verticalmowing is essential to encourage seedpenetration into the canopy.

Seed Budget - Pungicide-treatedseed is inexpensive, and it is the best in-surance against seedling diseases. Thisis particularly important for coursesthat are located in areas with highhumidity and precipitation. Having theseed treated will increase its cost by just5<1:per pound or $2.50 per bag.

Equipment Budget - Mowers mustbe maintained with razor-sharp reels toprevent pulling up developing seedlingsor producing a ragged cut on matureturf. Cool-season grasses used for over-seeding perform best when maintainedwith lightweight mowers to reducewear and tear on turning areas on fair-ways. Heavy-duty mowing units areneeded for oversee ding, scalping prepa-ration, and to effectively penetrate anactively growing bermudagrass canopyto reduce thatch development. Rotarymowing equipment is necessary toproduce the highest quality overseededroughs during winter. To avoid seriousscalping of bermudagrass roughs dur-ing the summer, reel-type mowingequipment is required. In essence, twocomplete mowing equipment inven-tories are needed to provide optimumwinter and summer conditions whenmaintaining both cool-season andwarm-season grasses.

Seedbed preparation during over-seeding creates a dusty working envi-

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Page 5: Fairway Overseeding: Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Does It Make Dollars or Sense? Objectively evaluating the impacts of fairway overseeding will determine if your course is ready

ronment that can damage equipment.Hydraulic oil coolers, radiators, andair filters become plugged with debris,causing overheating and severe me-chanical wear. This increased wear,combined with the additional wintermowing requirements, shortens theuseful life expectancy of equipment by15% to 20%.

Species Selection - Blends of im-proved perennial ryegrasses typicallyare used for overseeding due to theirrapid germination and establishmentrates and dark green color. Poa trivialisuse is reserved primarily for greens andoccasionally tees in moderate climateswhere more serious transition prob-lems are likely to occur. The slowergermination and establishment rates ofPoa trivialis, however, are found to beundesirable when compared to peren-nial ryegrass. Fine fescues also havebeen tried for oversee ding, but theycannot match the density and colorprovided by perennial ryegrass. Morerecently, research is focusing ondeveloping intermediate ryegrasses thatlack the ability to persist into the heatof summer.

Seeding Rate - The normal rate forfairway oversee ding ranges from 400 to600 pounds of perennial ryegrass peracre. It is not unusual, however, to hearreports of seeding rates as high as 800

to 1,100 pounds per acre in the DesertSouthwest to improve early seasondensity. Besides nearly doubling theseed cost per acre, these increased rateshave a negative impact on bermuda-grass the following summer.Conclusion

Obviously, there are a number offactors that need to be considered indetermining if fairway oversee ding isappropriate for your facility. In fact,several sacrifices must be made bygolfers in order to enjoy excellent over-seeded fairways during the winter andspring. Failure to make the necessaryconcessions will result in an inferiorfairway overseeding. More often thannot, the difference between what thegolfers expect and what can realisti-cally be achieved will add up todisappointment.ReferencesBeard, J. B. (1992). The Texas System forWinter Overseeding Warm-Season Turfs.Texas Turfgrass Research. 1992. TAESConso!. PR-5005:76-77.Bishop, D. (1995). Avoiding OverseedingTransition Pitfalls. Golf Course Manage-ment. 63(9):60-61.DubIe, R. (1993). Overseeding Bermuda-grass Turf. Texas Turfgrass. 46(1):6.DubIe, R. (1993). Spring Transition inBermudagrass. Texas Turfgrass. 46(3):6.

Foy, J. H. (1998). The Pros and Cons ofFairway Overseeding. USGA GreenSection Record. 36(5):10-12.Kopec, D. (1994). Spring Back to Bermuda.Landscape &> Irrigation. 18(3):8-9.Kopec, D. (1996). Ready, Set, Go - Over-seed! Golf Course Irrigation. 5(4):26-27.Landry, G., and T. Murphy. (1990). Over-seeded Turfgrasses in Transition. GroundsMaintenance. 25(10): 80-136.O'Brien, P. (1994). Overseeding Undeserv-ing as Winterkill Protection. Golf CourseManagement. 62(10):80.Schmitz, J. (1999). A Smooth Transition.Golf Course Management. 67(7):108-120.Stroud, T. (1989). Overseeding Overview.Golf Course Management. 57(9):90-96.Vermeulen, P. (1989). An OverseedingAlternative-Roughs Only. USGA GreenSection Record. 27 (2):17.Workman, B. (1994). Overseeding: TheReal Problem. Through the Green.Sept./Oct.: 22.Yelverton, F., and B. Horgan. (1998). Howto Kill Perennial Ryegrass in OverseededFairways. Golf Course Management.66(8):49-52.

BRIAN MALOY has been an agronomistin the Green Section's Mid-ContinentRegion since 1996. He conducts TurfAdvisory Service visits in Arkansas,Louisiana, Mexico, New Mexico, Okla-homa, and Texas. His office is located inCarrollton, Texas.

The overseeding grass in the rough was more competitive than at the lower height of cut in the fairways. As a result, the majority ofthe bermudagrass has been lost in the rough.

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