Pair of Bears – Delaware & Maryland golf community blog

Published by: DelmarvaNow.com

With warm winter temperatures, local greens have seen an increased amount of golfers taking to the links.

While the conditions are suitable for getting extra holes that normally couldn’t be done in past winters, the unusually warm weather has kept greenskeepers at area golf courses busy.

The warm weather has aided the growth of poa grass, an annual bluegrass, on the courses. Poa grass germinates in late August and September and normally dies off in the heat of the summer.

“It likes these temperatures and it likes the 50 to 60-degree weather,” said Glen MacDonald, golf course superintendent at Cripple Creek Golf Course and Golf Club. “When we’re trying to make things look great, the poa grass is dying.”

While the Poa grows on the course, greenskeepers stay vigilant in controlling and limiting its growth due to its brittleness, its susceptibility to diseases and the ability to alter ball rolls. MacDonald said different methods are used to slow or minimize the growth of the grass such as chemicals,

Many golf courses such as Cripple Creek use bentgrass due to its ability to tolerate low-lying heights and quick regeneration from divots and foot traffic. The course also uses Bermuda grass for its tee, putting and rough areas.

Jamie Palokas, who is starting his sixth season as superintendent at Millsboro’s Baywood Greens, said the warm weather has brought an increase of traffic including over the last week. This can be a blessing and a curse.

“The pros of the weather is that it’s nice to get some extra revenue plus it’s a healthy start to the year,” he said. “One of the biggest negatives is the divots who use irons and up a chunk of grass, especially on the par three holes. We get a lot of recovery in the spring and fall.”

Palokas said there isn’t much of an additional impact on the grass as result of the warmer than average winter.

“Other than the divot recovery and the traffic, I don’t really see how a lot of warm winter weather effects the greens in the summer,” he said. “A lot of others may argue that, but I don’t think you see any negative effects by late May.”

MacDonald that there are pros and cons to the recent string of warm weather.

“It can be good thing because in theory you are having a longer growing season because you can have a deeper root for the grass,” he said. “It’s great we’re getting the rounds, but it can lead to more foot traffic and possibly shear the plant.”