Without trying to attribute a cause, it certainly appears that things are heating up. In the short term we can point to June, which had an average high temperature of 87.7 degrees--this is hotter than the month of July typically is.
Abnormal temperatures for a single month or two might be considered an anomaly, however a look at the USDA plant hardiness map shows New Jersey having shifted from 1990 to 2015:
While we aren't ready to start farming bananas and pineapples quite yet, evidence of these changes can easily be seen on the golf course. Two examples of this are "warm-season" grasses which now call Laurel Creek home, and are shown growing in approaches:
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| Dallisgrass |
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| Bermudagrass |
Ten years ago, it was rare to find these on the course. Today, they are widespread, and it's a battle to keep them from encroaching into the close cut turf.
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