The 18-hole public course in Portsmouth, Va., decided to do the regrassing to improve both maintenance and playability, after having two to three greens die each summer.
Suffolk Golf Course, an 18-hole public golf course in Portsmouth, Va., has undergone a greens renovation, as one of the first courses in Virginia to convert from bentgrass to Bermuda grass. Following the lead of many courses in North and South Carolina, Suffolk made the change because of reports that Bermuda greens are performing better in warm summer climates and providing better playing conditions year-round.
“We decided to regrass the greens to improve both maintenance and playability,” said Eddie Luke, Suffolk’s PGA Professional and Operator. “Inevitably, we would have two or three greens die every summer, and we were forced to put up temporary greens, which weren’t very good for business. Players want to play on the turf they see on TV, but most golfers don’t know what goes into achieving that kind of turf on a golf course.”
Golf Course Superintendent Joseph Riddick was instrumental in the decision to switch to Bermuda, the club reports, because the grass is very dense and has aggressive lateral growth, recovers from sub-freezing temperatures better than most, and thrives even in the upper transition zone.
After extensive research by Luke and Riddick, Lester George of George Golf Design was asked to evaluate the feasibility of a bentgrass-to-Bermuda conversion on what were native soil greens. After one green was rebuilt as a test in 2012, the successful results led to what the course says was an “obvious” decision to convert all of the remaining greens. Riddick then selected Champion Turf Farms of Bay City, Texas for the installation work.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) was also consulted on the project, and after looking at the course, USGA experts concurred with the decision to regrass all greens, while also noting the favorable environmental impact of the change—because Suffolk GC is in a watershed, the new grass will reduce runoff and will require less chemical and pesticide application.
Suffolk’s first nine holes were built in 1952 and designed by Dick Wilson, adding historical significance to the renovation work. “I am a big fan of Dick Wilson’s work,” said Lester George. “It is always a treat to work on one of his courses. This is the second of his I’ve had the pleasure to renovate.”
George said his primary contribution to the project was to re-establish Dick Wilson’s architectural tenets to the greens. “We made sure the greens conformed to their original size, shape and contour—and this allowed for the restoration of the internal contour to the greens,” he noted.
“These newer Bermuda grasses are turning out to be just as good as bentgrass in warmer climates,” George added. “They are much more disease-resistant and heat-tolerant.
“We will likely see more golf courses converting to Bermuda grass greens,” George said. “This is a trend-setting move for golf courses to consider as they look to the future of environmental sustainability. [Bermuda is] a great turf solution in the transition zone, where the weather is too hot for cool season grass and too cool for warm season grass. We expect the demand for these turf conditions will return Suffolk Golf Course to one of the favorites in the region.”
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