Torsiello's Turf Talk - Managing the Rough

By: John Torsiello

One of the major trends in the care of golf courses is the move toward creating more natural, or native, areas off fairways. It just makes sense from a turf-management standpoint. Naturalizing rough areas means less expense in terms of maintenance as areas off the fairways have to be mowed much less frequently, if at all. It also means less application of water, fertilizer and pesticide, which again helps reduce the bottom line.

Tim Morgahan, founder of Aspire Golf Consulting in New Jersey, observed, "The pros are that native (or naturalized) rough areas are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, easier to maintain and are good for wildlife. The cons are that they are a pain in the ass when you hit your $5 Pro V into them and cannot find it due to density." But the damage to the paying customer's wallet does not seem to deter superintendents from naturalizing rough areas.

"Converting mowed, irrigated rough areas to native grasses can reduce water, fertilizer, and pesticide inputs and may reduce mowing," says Dr. Anthony Koski, extension turfgrass specialist with the Colorado State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture.

"However, it is important to understand that native areas will not be maintenance-free. In fact, if they are neglected they can quickly become weedy and unsightly." He says older areas must also be maintained to prevent the invasion of shrubs, brambles and trees. Grass species - especially if a mix of grasses is seeded - will change over time. "The species of weeds, and you will have weeds to deal with, will change over time, as well."

Major advances in breeding of turf-type tall fescues since the early 1980s have encouraged more use of tall fescue as primary or secondary rough. In traditional cool-season grass-growing climates and the transition zone of the U.S., interest in less maintenance has driven the use of tall fescue. Tall fescue is used now in areas where there are limits placed on annual fertility and chemical applications. The turf quality in high-performing NTEP-rated tall fescues is excellent, mimicking a wide-bladed bluegrass. They can be cut at 1.5 inches or higher, up to natural, non-mowed plant heights.

Another group of species that has garnered more interest in golf rough use is fine fescues. These species consist of hard, sheeps, creeping red and chewings fescues. The hard, chewings and sheeps fescues have been used more as "no-mow" grasses in far roughs and out-of-bounds areas. They can grow to 8 to 18 inches high and cascade over themselves if left in a natural state.

Fine fescues have an interesting ornamental look. In warm-season grass areas in the lower transition zone and further south in the U.S., weeping lovegrass performs similarly as the fine fescue no-mow grasses above. These all have the potential to be left alone with literally no maintenance when established, except for occasional weed control and spot seeding for fill in.

A similar scenario occurs regarding mowing height adjustments for roughs further south, where bermudagrass is the prevailing fairway turf. The roughs are also defined as primary and secondary by height of cut. So, the cut gets higher the further away from the fairway.

Out-of-bounds or far rough areas may be near or around sensitive waterways, so no-mow grasses can be used here. Native grasses such as buffalograss, little and big bluesten, switch grass, wildrye and other species are being used to define extreme far rough and OB areas of play. Some native grasses take a year or longer to show their true potential, and weed control can be difficult in the establishment year. Some of native grasses above have a far-reaching geographic potential for usage, in both cool and warm season grass areas.

Traditional cool-season grasses for golf roughs are the normal species used in fairways. Those are Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine and tall fescues. Generally, the roughs start as a higher cut area from normal fairway heights. So superintendents mow at 1.5 inches for a primary rough, and a further out secondary rough would be mowed at a 3-inch or higher height of cut.

An easy way of transforming mowed rough to native is to simply stop mowing and irrigating the grass. Unmowed bluegrass and fescues (both tall and fine fescues) can make for an attractive rough. Similarly, unmowed bermudagrass in the South can provide a native look as well. This can be a good test to see what the native rough will look like in certain areas of the course. If the look isn't a good one, the grass can be mowed down to turf height.

While grasses are generally the plant of choice for native areas, wildflowers can, in some cases, be a good option. The advantage of using grasses is that they are familiar to the superintendent when it comes to management. Further, weed control is easier with grass roughs; selective weed management in wildflowers is complicated (for some mixes) to impossible.

Depending on the grasses established, the native area will require some sort of vegetation/biomass management. This might entail mowing in the fall or spring and clipping collection. Burning every other year is an effective biomass management tool, where practical and allowed. Weed management is essential during the establishment years of 1 to 3. When established successfully, weed management can be done on a spot basis.

The most common mistake made in the establishment and ongoing maintenance of native grass areas is excessive irrigation - especially once the grass has become established, leading to weed problems in native areas. Excess irrigation creates a stand that is so dense that it is impossible to find a lost ball - much less give the golfer an opportunity to attempt a shot.

Depending on whether grasses are warm- or cool-season species, there are specific windows of time when they can be planted in rough areas for optimal success. While combinations of cool- and warm-season species are "natural" and commonly sold by seed companies for native conversions, weed management is complicated with a cool/warm mixture. Herbicides safe for use on warm-season species (Imazapic and Plateau, for example) are often not safe on cool-season grass, and vice-versa. If burning is desired as a biomass management tool, then warm-season grasses are a better choice, since they burn more easily. If true natives are preferred, it is important to do your homework to find the best-adapted natives for your area - and a good source of seed for those grasses.

Dr. Fred Yelverton, co-director of the Center for Turfgrass Environmental Research and Education at North Carolina State University, cites studies that show a wide variety of plants are used in naturalized rough areas. "The main thing people need to know about these naturalized areas is that they are not low maintenance. Superintendents who have these areas on the golf course will tell you they are pretty high maintenance."

Dr. Yelverton says to choose a plant that performs well in your area. If it does not perform well, you will be in "constant re-establishment mode." The most common symptom of poorly adapted plants is weed invasion. "For instance, fine fescue typically gives the desired look for most of the country, but in the warmest climates (Florida, etc.) or the desert, fine fescue will not work."

Chris Hartwiger, a United States Golf Association senior agronomist, says if "unsuitable" plants are used in a region they may not survive, leading to the cost of replanting something else. "If the proper plant is used in the wrong location, extra maintenance may be required to facilitate less searching for lost golf balls. If expectations are not communicated clearly to management and staff, the finished product may be disappointing to some, leading to a change in species or different management."

Superintendents can turn to recent exhaustive research by the USGA in its two new additions to "The Landscape Restoration Handbook" that separates the U.S. into eco-regions. The native grasses for each eco-region are listed, and in the back appendix more information is given about grasses and other plant materials. The Handbook offers very specific information on each type of grass, such as height range, seeding rates, life cycles, environmental tolerances, aesthetic and wildlife value, bloom periods, best landscape usage, as well as color photos of the grasses in bloom.

John Torsiello is an editor/writer living in Connecticut. He has written extensively about all aspects of the golf industry for a number of national and regional publications. He is a regular contributor to "Golf Course Industry," "Lawn and Landscape," "Golfing" and "Fairway Living" magazines as well as various online publications. He has strong, ongoing relationships with industry professionals and has worked closely with course owners, architects, developers, course superintendents and general managers around the country. He has won a number of awards for his writing, including first place from the Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association for a piece that appeared in "Golf Course Industry" magazine.

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