There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes at a golf course and today we are going to take a look behind the curtain so to discuss how over seeding the course helps keep the golf course in great playing shape through the winter months.  Our PGA Head Professional, Scott Taylor takes us into the maintenance area and out onto the golf course to get a close look at the materials and the techniques used by the fine maintenance staff we have here at River Oaks.

Jeff Weitzel, the golf course superintendent and his staff work tirelessly in during the month of October each fall to get the grass ready for the colder winter weather.  The management invests 10s of thousands of dollars every year on seeding various parts of the golf course.  The majority of the seed is used to keep the fairways on all 27 holes as green and playable as possible.  Bermuda grass is a warm weather grass and is what we play on all summer long.  Now that the weather is turning colder it is time to get the rye grass down before the bermuda goes dormant for the winter.  When the bermuda goes dormant the grass turns a light shade of brown.  With the fairways over seeded with winter rye grass and the rough having the dormant bermuda on it give the look of contrast that really outlines the shape of the fairways giving it a very cool look.

“We also use a different kind of seed on the collars and the putting surfaces that keep them looking nice and plush and green all winter long” said Scott Taylor.  “We want to keep the course looking as nice a possible all year round for local golfers as well as our vacationing golfers.”

Many golf courses do not over seed the greens but we like to do it for a couple reasons.  First of all we want to protect the grass during the cold weather as we continue to see a lot of rounds played at River Oaks during the winter months.  Also, with the shape of our greens we need to help out the golfers.  Our greens have a good deal of slope and undulation to them.  The bermuda grass on the greens will get slick during the cold weather, making the putting surfaces so slick they could be almost un-puttable at times.  Mixing in the winter grass keeps the greens at the high standard golfers have come to expect at River Oaks.

Come out this winter and experience the great conditions at River Oaks.