To overseed or not?

If they had the choice, most in the transition zone and South wouldn’t overseed with cool-season grass during the winter because it’s better for the warm-season turf. However, because owners and golfers call the shots at most clubs – and because of the “green is good, brown is bad” mentality – more of you than not are overseeding because it’s good for business.

Despite that, Chris Hartwiger, senior agronomist in the southeast region for the U.S. Golf Association Green Section, made the case for not overseeding during a seminar at the Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show last week. His reasons are compelling. But, like most aspects of course conditioning and maintenance, it boils down to educating and convincing the members/golfers.

Hartwiger says there are five million golfers that have a registered handicap with the USGA, and the average for men is 16. There are more of these golfers than the single handicappers, and they’re easier to convince, he says.

To start with, the goal at most golf facilities is to provide the highest quality greens for as many days as possible during the year. Increasing winter play is important partly because there really isn’t an off-season in the transition zone anymore. Ultimately, the goal for most facilities is to improve course conditions for golfers while reducing inputs. The environment and budget are two good reasons to reduce inputs. Hartwiger argues that not overseeding is one way to reach that goal.

Some problems, or potential problems, with overseeding include:

• Fall establishment;
• Inconsistent surfaces;
• Spring transition; and
• Summer grow-in.

When overseeding, transitions are disruptive. For example, fall establishment can effect play negatively because of:

• Surface prep (vertical mowing can injure turf when it should be hardening off);
• More irrigation;
• Taller mowing heights; and
• The course closing.

Even though not overseeding isn’t as popular as overseeding, a few superintendents (there are probably many more) have had success with not overseeding. They are: Ron Wright at the County Club of Mobile in Alabama, Rodney Lingle at Memphis Country Club in Tennessee, Tim Etheridge at Dothan Country Club in Alabama and Danny Malone at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton, S.C. If you’re a superintendent thinking about not overseeding and want to convince members it's the right thing to do, give these guys a call and pick their brains about it.

Overseeding might guarantee color, but the transition problems are always there. For example, more organic matter is added to the root zone when overseeding, and as a result, more topdressing and aerification are needed. Yet, overseeding establishment shortcuts are inevitable taken because of the pressures of the business. For example, overseeding is sometimes done when the height of cut is too low and sometimes a course doesn’t close or close long enough when overseeding.

However, there are disadvantages of not overseeding. Those include visible ball marks, hole plugs and general wear on the course. Another concern of not overseeding is the greens becoming too fast. On the flip side, another bonus of not overseeding is cost because less fertilizer, water and fewer pesticides are used.

When you don’t overseed greens, color loss can be anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on location. Winter color is important because it matters to golfers, and they think brown is bad and green is good. But painting can eliminate the color transition if you choose to do it. Paint saves or reallocates money and improves turf quality. Some superintendents even paint tees.

Here are application examples to think about: Green Lawnger is a turf paint that costs $33 a gallon, and one batch covers 20,000 square feet. Application can be done with a hand sprayer or vehicle. One example with a vehicle is to set the sprayer at 60 psi and use 127 gallons of paint per acre. Some apply in two directions for an even coat. Another example: 10 gallons of paint and 215 gallons of water covers 155,000 to 160,000 square feet and costs $750 dollars.

People say painting works, but many question whether it lasts. Well, paint generally lasts three to four months. One key to painting is to wait and make sure the grass is done growing for the year. Also, Haibo Liu, Ph.D., at Clemson University has conducted research that shows areas painted in the winter green up quicker in the spring than areas not painted.

But many golfers reject painting, and there’s tremendous resistance to it. However, some superintendents who have painted say golfers don’t know if the greens were painted or overseeded if they don’t see the painting being done.

Color is important, yes. But turf quality should trump color. Not overseeding will only be acceptable if the turf quality is as good or better than the traditional method. GCN