Arizona Overseed Schedule 2017

It’s that time of year again. Between September and November, most Arizona golf courses will close for a few weeks to overseed. The overseed process makes courses green in the winter and look overall aesthetically pleasing. Most courses transition from Bermudagrass to ryegrass during this time, which is a much more playable surface then dormant Bermuda. Some courses will overseed everything from rough to green; others – like TPC Scottsdale – will just do tee boxes, fairways and greens.

Why do courses close?

TPC Scottsdale, which hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open, is a perfect and somewhat unique example. The Stadium Course uses so much ryegrass seed in preparation for the February tournament that the Bermudagrass never fully comes back in the spring. This causes the course to not only close during the fall overseeding months, but to also close for a few weeks in July and August. If golfers were allowed out on the course during these critical times, it may restrict the grass from growing.

Timing is important

It is especially important for courses to be closed for a minimum of 10 days. This is the magic number of days that it takes for the grass to germinate and start to grow. Courses converting to ryegrass, also known as winter grass, also use those 10 days to aerate and top-dress with new seed. This part is crucial to have a great overseed. If you were to allow golfers out to play, it would disrupt the growing cycle and could ruin the entire winter overseed. To be safe, courses typically close for 2-3 weeks. Weatherwise? It takes lot of water and ideal temperatures in the 70s-90s, making fall in Arizona the perfect time.

Do all Arizona golf courses close to overseed? No. There are more and more Phoenix courses using a type of hybrid or championship Bermudagrass that offers a great year-round surface. It does not usually look as green in the winter, but it plays just as well. It is also quite expensive. Grand Canyon University Golf Course, Phoenix Country Club and The Country Club at DC Ranch are just a few examples that use this type of blend.

Dormant grass is still playable

It’s a good practice for courses to give the grass a break. Overseeding winter grass year after year really stresses out the Bermudagrass. This makes the grass seen in spring and summer weaker. And it makes the transition period from winter to summer longer and impacts playability. If clubs were to alternative overseeding years, it may lessen this transition period. However, that’s unlikely to happen as it is now the expectation for courses to have nice green grass in the winter.

Arizona Golf Course Closures 2017

The Arizona Golf Association does a great job posting the Arizona overseed schedule of all area courses on their website. However, it is always a good idea to call ahead to individual courses and double-check, as dates can change. If a cold spell is suddenly expected, for instance, some courses will move up their overseeding schedule.

Here are some highlights of the most well-known public golf courses from the Arizona Overseed Schedule 2017. Be sure to check the The Arizona Golf Association for more information.