Across Georgia, the delicate art of growing bentgrass golf greens this summer has turned into a battle for survival.
Greens are turning brown, developing diseases and even dying in this siege of sweltering heat. At stake are millions of dollars in golf landscaping, an industry that the bad economy already had weakened.
Golf superintendents, the experts who keep the course in optimum condition, are trying everything to save greens. Each can cost $50,000 or more to build. When they die, revenue is lost because golfers will find somewhere else to play.
“No question this is the hottest extended period, the most challenging time to grow bentgrass that I’ve ever seen,” said Mike Crawford, superintendent of TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth for 15 years and an Atlantan for two decades.
Crawford makes maintenance decisions based on a nearby weather station telling him each day the number of hours the temperature is above 90 degrees.
Most summers: 2 1/2 hours.
This summer: 10 1/2 hours.