Smirk at the winter season while getting your favorite golf clubs out of the bag. Trendy management tricks and care can negate the influence of the winter season. Although, fake grass carpets are already in the market to handle cold or rainy situations, they rarely offer the same feel as the original stuff. Golf course managers have rolled up their sleeves to find better ways to manage the golf courses. Here are a few cool things you can expect if you are headed to the well-maintained courses including the Tampa area golf courses during the winter.
Solving Poor Drainage with Care
Natural greens of golf courses suffer in the winter months due to slow drainage. This problem can stop the grass from thawing completely; daytime thaw of grass blades in winter season is noted to be 1/2″ (approx). Slow drainage keeps the soil saturated, damages the field, and makes golf club swings inaccurate. ‘Deep-tine aeration’ is considered one of the best ways of getting the water off the field quickly without damaging the greens. This process involves pricking the soil and making about 12-inch deep holes, which allows air and water to seep into the earth and improve playability. This process strengthens the grass as well by letting more air to the roots. If you are looking for a dry and firm golf field even in the winter, then search for turfs that follow the latest techniques for better field management in the winter.
Smoothing Out Bumps
Soil probing can help with drainage issues but it often leaves the soil bumpy. Losing golf ball balance or changing angle of approach to avoid bumpy soil can be quite frustrating. However, these issues would not force you to compromise golfing in the winter season. Sand dressing around the bumps can bring the surface to a level. Field managers can use rolling and brushing methods to level the turf as well. Before taking a decision regarding selection of a course for your winter golf activities, you can engage in discussion with the managers and learn about the winter maintenance processes.
Well-Trimmed Greens
Locations like Florida and California that have warmer climate rarely suffer from icing issues on the golf course. However, as grass grows a bit less in the winter than the other seasons, often turf handlers forget to mow the grass blades to keep a perfect length. Lack of trimming can affect the playability, plus this issue can allow weed strands to spread out and stop the golf ball from rolling. Proper and timely grass trimming process can certainly reduce weed spread. Some turfs also use herbicide to isolate and kill the unwanted vegetation. A thorough check up of the winter maintenance methods of your favorite turfs can certainly help you in coming to a decision about the course where you would want to go golfing.
Overseeding Process
As the cold air envelopes the surroundings and welcomes the winter season, Bermuda grass which is considered to be the best green strand for golf, goes into a dormant state. With grass blades pointing downward, it becomes challenging for players to play the game. California and Florida golf courses that generally use the Bermuda grass overseed the fairways and greens with rye grass. Overseeding is generally done in November, just when the Bermuda grass starts slipping into the dormant state.
Golfers from all across the US flock to the Tampa area golf courses for their scenic beauty, excellent layout and challenging holes. There is little wonder that the maintenance staffs are so keen on preserving the courses even during the not-so-favorable weather conditions. All you need to do is to find the best golf turfs that follow winter maintenance guidelines.