The Florida winter and spring months are the normal dry season, but, going back to the fall of 2006, below average rainfall has occurred, resulting in an intensifying drought situation. Golf courses are singing the blues as the drought continues. In fact, a light haze of smoke has wafted in on golf courses lately. The smoke is not from roughs burning out, but from multiple wildfires throughout the region. Record low rainfall has caused phase II restrictions for golf courses (30% reduction) throughout most of South Florida, with some areas experiencing Phase III restrictions (45% reduction). It is very likely that year round restrictions will be mandated, as is the case in other parts of the state. While warm season turfgrasses such as bermudagrass and seashore paspalum have very good drought tolerance, having to manage with 30% to 45% less water will have an impact, especially on aesthetic characteristics.

The water management districts are working with golf course superintendents and allowing them to decide when to irrigate, as previous restrictions limited usage to certain week days. After several meetings with concerned golf course superintendents, it was decided to allow courses to irrigate by a reduced percentage of their normal allotment.

Golf courses utilize only a small percentage of water compared to other users, especially home lawns, and can easily monitor and reduce water usage as needed. Enforcing restrictions on other groups is much more difficult for the water management districts, as it is difficult to effectively monitor them. Golf courses report monthly on their usage, and restriction enforcement is a much easier task. Most golf courses truly are stewards of natural resources, as they are a refuge for a variety of wildlife and are natural bio-filters for many environmental contaminants.

Bermudagrass has good drought tolerance and goes dormant until regular rainfall occurs. The bad news is that lush, green playing conditions cannot be sustained in such conditions. Localized dry spots initially occur, causing a leopard-like pattern of brown and green turf and, eventually the entire area becomes brown.

Water restrictions prioritize water use to primary play areas, with putting greens receiving highest priority. Teeing grounds are next, with fairways (particularly landing areas) ranking third. Roughs and non-play areas (like driving ranges) receive lowest priority among playing surfaces and should receive the least amount of water. As a result, many non-play areas and roughs are in various stages of drought dormancy on many golf courses at this time.

Normal cultivation practices like core aeration and verticutting on tees, fairways, and roughs may need to be postponed until normal rainfall occurs and water restrictions are lifted. Having some flexibility in scheduling is important to ensure that these necessary cultural practices are implemented at a later date.

The following are some very important practices for drought survival:

Control Traffic: Drought stressed turf will not tolerate traffic very well. Moderate to heavy traffic on grass under wilt/drought stress can cause permanent damage.
Adherence to cart usage policies is every golfer’s responsibility.

Higher Mowing Heights and Mowing Less Often: After all, the grass should be growing more slowly.

Use Plant Growth Regulators (PGR’s): These products can reduce water use rates by as much as 30%. PGR use can improve root development and conserve soil moisture through top growth reduction.

Pest Management: On a positive note, insect (mole crickets) and disease activity is greatly reduced during drought conditions. However, infestations of plant parasitic nematodes can further compound drought stress problems and the need to conduct nematicide treatments. Herbicide treatments should be performed with extra care in any locations where the turf is drought stressed.

Fertility: Extra care must be practiced with course fertilization and excessive use of nitrogen for the sake of green color should be avoided. Stimulating too much growth increases the turf’s water needs.

Irrigation Water Quality: Regardless of the source, the irrigation water needs to be monitored for sodium/salt buildup. In several locations, salt intrusion is a growing concern. With the mandated reductions in water usage, prioritizing which portions of the course are most important to play, i.e. up the middle from tee to green is necessary.

Renovation/Reconstruction. Rethink renovation or reconstruction projects. In general, do not disturb the turf unless you have the ability to irrigate these areas. Be patient, wait for better weather, and monitor district and local regulations covering renovation and turf establishment.

Landscaping. Trees and other plantings also need attention during drought. Some tree species require considerable amounts of water and may slowly go into decline during drought. Assess tree conditions regularly. Periodic deep soaking may be necessary to save desirable trees.

Remember that all courses represent the game of golf and the turfgrass industry. All irrigation regulations and requests for voluntary conservation should be followed. While individual conditions vary, we are in a serious drought, and unfortunately, no relief is in sight. Good luck and let’s pray for rain.

Sources:
John Foy
Director, Florida Region, USGA Green Section
jfoy@usga.org or 772-546-2620

and

Todd Lowe
Regional Agronomist, USGA Green Section
tlowe@usga.org, or 941-828-2625