Green Speed

It seems that in life, we rarely question things when they are really good.  Few people leave a restaurant actually wondering why their meal was delicious.  This pattern seems to carry over onto the golf course as well.  With never-before-seen green speeds last month, not one person asked, "Why are the greens so fast?"  However, now that the greens are no longer rolling in the teens, many have questioned why they are slower.  (Only one person that we know of has used the term slow.)

This certainly could lead to a long discussion about negativity bias, but we'll stay on course, and stick to the subject of green speed.  Whenever this topic comes up, it's important to keep in mind that green speed boils down to one thing:  friction.

In first looking at the unasked question, of why the greens were so darned fast, remember how miserable April's weather was.  Last month was one of the coldest Aprils on record, with 18 days below average.  Courses that aerified in March or April this year have dealt with some real challenges in trying to get the holes to fill in.  A simple equation for what we saw on the greens during the cold early spring, might look something like this:  cold temperatures = little foliar turf growth = little friction = ludicrous speed.

It probably shouldn't come as a surprise then, that the answer to the second question (Why are the greens slower?) is also weather related, and yes, friction related.  With warmer temperatures, we are finally seeing some turf growth, however it is still minimal.  Pictured below is Friday's clipping yield, after mowing over an acre of green surface.

The primary cause of friction on greens now is definitely not from excessive fertility leading to foliar growth.  A quick look at a spot which inadvertently received a good shot of fertilizer, shows how lean the greens really are by comparison.


No, the big friction factor now is coming from Poa annua seed production, which we deal with each and every spring.  While Poa provides a very good putting surface throughout much of the year, one of its drawbacks is the "cauliflower" factor we are now seeing.

In an effort to minimize Poa seed production, we make a series of plant growth regulator applications to the greens, now starting in late fall.  Given the greens' microclimates, and huge  variety of Poa biotypes, seedhead control will never be perfect.  However, by leaving check plots, you can clearly see the tremendous difference between the amount of seed on an untreated area, and the rest of the green.  The pale yellow-white square is an abundance of Poa seed.  Without carefully timed applications, you'd be putting over this bumpy surface on every green.

To take a step back and look at the subject of greens speed, we're taking the glass half full perspective.  When we start hearing comments about the greens being slower as soon as they dip below 12', we know the bar has been raised, and look forward to meeting the challenge!