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Turf Talk

Why are the golf courses south of 466 so firm?

There is no question that the courses south of 466 are very firm; a 200 yard drive can become a 240 yard drive quickly. That’s good news for some golfers. On the other hand dry, firm fairways make for tight lies – which are difficult for some golfers. Let’s take a moment to look at what is behind the firm fairway conditions we have on some of the courses.

The primary reason for firm fairways is the lack of rain from 2006 – 2008 during the summer months. From 2002 through 2005 we had all of the rain we could handle and were mowing the fairways 3 to 4 times a week, trying to keep ahead of the turf growth. On the other hand, during the last 3 (’06-’08) summers we averaged mowing the fairways twice a week during the summer months

A second (and significant) negative effect of the loss of water is that the thatch layer is under developed. When the courses are mowed more often in the summer a thatch layer is developed in the fairway which gives the golfer more cushion over time. More importantly, the thatch layer also facilitates the overseed process by providing the seed to establish its root system more effectively. Consequently, developing and maintaining a layer of thatch helps create softer fairways during the winter months.

A third reason for firm fairways is the frequency and intensity of cold temperatures (frost) this winter. The first frost visited The Villages on October 29 this season, whereas the earliest date in the last 10 years was November 19. To date there has been a total of 24 frost delays this winter (more than any other year) – firming up already firm turf.

Lastly, the primary source for water for the golf courses south of 466 is reclaimed water. As more residents move into that respective area there will be more reclaimed water available for the golf courses. A secondary and more restricted source of water is ground water (well). At this time the ground water (well) is strictly monitored and regulated by SWFWMD (Sumter County). At this time we save most of our well water allotment for the summer months because the heat can burn up a green in just a day or two

There are no simple solutions for firm fairways other than rain. We need to pray for a rainy summer so we can fill the ponds, so the grass will grow prolifically and need to be mowed 3 – 4 times per week.

Managing pond levels during Storms

It may seem counter intuitive however, in an effort to manage pond water levels during extreme weather events, it may be necessary to run our sprinkler systems.