Ryegrass overseeding has a long tradition at Forest Creek. We began overseeding in 1995 as a way to stabilize the newly sprigged golf course through the winter of 1996. Some of the golf holes had been sprigged so late in the summer that turf density of the Bermuda grass was insufficient going into dormancy. The new and growing membership as well as the golf course architect liked the look and playability of overseeded ryegrass and we continued overseeding. At that time in Pinehurst, the only golf courses overseeding "wall to wall"were Pine Needles, Highland Hills and Forest Creek. For many years we were loved by the seed merchants in Oregon as each year we would buy 100,000 pounds of ryegrass. Typically we would overseed at a rate of 400 to 500 pounds to the acre.
In the spring of the year when ryegrass is at its peak, the aesthetics of mowing patterns and step cuts allow the golf course superintendent to create visually striking golf holes. Ryegrass in this part of the country will die in the heat of the summer and must be reestablished every fall. Also because we are on the northern edge of the climatic zone which is suitable for overseeding, the timing of fall establishment is tricky. If you go too early you will lose the seedlings to heat and disease. If the overseeding is done too late in the fall then there is insufficient warm weather in which to mature the ryegrass plant. Experience has shown us that the optimum time frame for overseeding is between September 15 and October 15. Immediately after overseeding there is a period of heavy watering for grass germination and establishment. This is also one of our most popular times of the year for golf because of the excellent weather. Everyone wants to play but no one wants to play on a wet soggy golf course. Thus we have found that no one likes overseeding in the fall and everyone likes overseeding in the spring .Other golfing areas have an easier time with ryegrass overseeding than we do because of a longer growing season. Places like Florida or the desert southwest might see their ryegrass grow all winter long whereas our ryegrass will shut down its growth with a hard freeze and not grow again until spring.
The other issue with ryegrass overseeding is the transition from being a polystand of rye and Bermuda grasses to a mono stand of Bermuda as the weather becomes hotter. We are going through this transition on the South golf course right now. The transition process has been made easier by the introduction of new group of herbicides called " sulfanated ureas". We now have a group of herbicides that have been designed to kill ryegrass and poa annua without injuring the Bermuda grass. These chemicals speed up the transition and lengthen the growing season for the Bermuda. Transition can be ugly. Rarely is the Bermuda grass perfect when the ryegrass is removed. But with fertilization and patience the Bermuda usually fills back in. Transition also exposes areas which have experienced injury over the winter from traffic or "spring dead spot", a difficult and expensive disease to control..
We have found that by overseeding one golf course and leaving the other unoverseeded we can give very good playing conditions on one of our golf courses at all times. In the fall the Bermuda grass golf course going into dormancy is preferred by most players. In the spring the ryegrass golf course seems to be the favorite. These processes are difficult but they are undertaken to give the golfer a playing surface to enjoy.
