That's some fine Fine Fescue

The goal in the Fescue areas of the golf course is to create a sward which is penal, yet allows the ball to be found and advanced.  While this sounds simple enough, achieving this is anything but easy for a number of reasons.

One of the more common issues we deal with is the Fescue receiving unwanted inputs, such as irrigation water.  The tee irrigation which was installed a few years ago has at least allowed us to target the tee boxes, and not unnecessarily throw water into the Fescue.  While the extremely dry parts of August and September presented many challenges on the golf course, it did benefit the Fescue.  With no rainfall, there was a dramatic difference between Fescue which received irrigation and that which did not.

The picture below was taken from #9 tee.  In the foreground, adjacent to the tee, you can see lush, green, and very thick Fescue.  However, as you look toward the fairway, there was quite a dramatic difference:

A closer look at an unirrigated area of Fescue shows this more clearly:

Aesthetically, the Fescue may have been past its prime, as seedheads had already broken off.  However, from a playability standpoint, it was at its peak--a ball landing here could easily be found and advanced.