Bermuda Control

Bermuda Control on #1 Approach

 

Bermuda Control on #4 Rough

This past week we started applications for controlling the Bermuda in the Zoysia.  Typically we would have started this application earlier, unfortunately, with the excessive heat we had these summer we were forced to delay this practice.

As you can see from the pictures above, the initial control seems to be as good as we have had.  Overall, the fairways are mostly clean, the new Zoysia Intermediate Rough is where we are concerned with the encroachment.  If you've been on the course lately it is even more noticable in person.  With two more applications scheduled for the remainder of the year, we hope to knock the Bermuda back.

Several years ago, we were spraying larger portions of the rough.  What we found was the product was simlply too hard on the desirable cool season grasses.  Spraying this every year on the rough was not only expensive, but also left our primary rough in bad shape for the majority of the golf season.  We have since reached the conclusion that if a change were to take place in the rough, the best option would be to spray Roundup in one season for a complete kill of the rough. 

With the summers we have experienced lately along with the increasing water rates, for the long term, we are leaning towards converting our primary rough (in full sun) to Zoysia.  Although, this is certainly a long term project with no action planned for the near future.