Posted on January 25, 2018
Ever wonder what type of grass is grown on the links at Monarch Beach? Wonder why in 2016 we stopped overseeding with a winter strand called Rye?
Below is snip-bit from our Winter Digital BeachComber Magazine where we interview Daniel Miller, Superintendent of Monarch Beach Golf Links.
SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS
Making major improvements to a golf course isn't something that happens overnight, but Golf Course Superintendent Daniel Miller and his staff are confident that as they enter year two of a three-year plan to optimize playing conditions at Monarch Beach Golf Links and beautify the surroundings, things are moving in the right direction.
Cool-season grasses that traditionally take over during the winter have been completely removed from the fairways, and the maintenance team did not overseed this year, allowing the Bermuda grass to achieve density and provide lush turf coverage without competition from other strains. “By not overseeding, we have been able to promote much more consistent conditions that reward well-placed shots in the fairway or primary cut of rough,” Miller said.
Bypassing the overseeding process has also freed up Miller’s staff to take on other projects, such as removing all other varieties of warm-season turfgrass found on the course like kikuyu and seashore paspalum. They have also installed more than four miles of subterranean drainage beneath the fairways and rough. A new project will also blast sand into channels below the turf in some areas to allow salts to escape.
“While we're proud of the environmental benefit of our commitment to using recycled water only for all irrigation needs on the property, this comes with considerable agronomic challenges,” Miller said. “Recycled water originates in the homes and businesses within our community and contains a good deal of salt and other components that are detrimental to soil health and the growth of plants.”
Interested in how we make Bermuda grass that goes dormant in the wintertime look green? Click here to watch, what we think, is a very informative video created by the USGA on how simply painting a golf course can be very beneficial in a number of ways.
Ready to book your next tee time at Monarch Beach Golf Links? Click here to book online and receive the best rate guaranteed!