The Spring Growth Surge
StartFragment Spring is often associated with flowers and lush new growth. Typically the spring season has an abundance of soil moisture and as soon as temperatures rise into their optimum growth potential plants explode into a period excessive growth. The rough is no different then any other plant. That is why it is common that the rough is so much longer and thicker during spring and early summer.
Every spring for a short period of time it can be a real challenge keeping up with growth rates in the early part of the golf season. Throw in a holiday or a repair on a broken rough unit and things can get out of control quickly. Currently we have 4 rough units cutting 7 hours per day. When play will allow we will often blow rough to break up any clumps left behind by long thick rough that was cut in the early morning dew. Regardless of the mowing frequency or height the conditions of the rough during the spring are often more dense and thick than any other time of year. At times this can make playability of the rough very challenging.
This extreme growth surge will only last for a few more weeks at which time growth rates will slow, mowing will become a lot more manageable and consistancy of the rough will improve......until next year when the cycle of spring begins all over again. In the meantime its best to keep it in the fairway. EndFragment