Transitioning to Great Fall Golf

David Kingsland, GCSAA

As the heat and humidity of August and early September fade, and the cooler temperatures and lower humidity of autumn descend upon the Grand Strand, area golf course superintendants begin preparation for the winter over seed.

In this case, over seeding is the practice of seeding winter grass into existing Bermuda grass. Generally speaking, Perennial ryegrass, Perennial combined with Poa Trivialis, or Perennial combined with Tall Fescue, are all cool season grasses which are usually used in the over seeding process.

Because Bermuda grass is a warm season grass, it goes dormant (meaning it stops growing and turns brown/See picture to the right) in the winter months. Over seeding is an essential to a golf course in terms of aesthetics and improved playability.

Prior to the over seeding, most superintendants do some type of preparation, such as verticutting and/or topdressing. These can create abetter soil to seed contact, which enhances germination and the viability of the seed.  The areas of the course that are over seeded vary according to preference and budget. Some courses seed the entire course to give a lush, green appearance throughout the property. Other courses just seed the fairways, tees, and the collars of the greens, which gives a nice color contrast to the dormant rough.