‘Condition of Golf Courses on the Costa Blanca and Murcia’
The extreme weather conditions that we have seen over the last month have taken their toll on our local golf courses with green keepers throughout the region struggling to keep them looking good and as golfers we should be more aware of the reasons behind these problems and therefore more tolerant towards the golf courses.
All of our local golf courses are sewn with Bermuda grass on the fairways and in the rough because it can withstand extreme heat in the long summer months without the need for extensive watering BUT it does hibernate during the cold winter months.
When the average night time temperature falls below 7 degrees the grass becomes dormant and loses that green colour and takes on a light yellow/brown colour which looks almost burnt and dry (but this is not the case) BUT is not good on the eye.
A number of years ago a took a group of clients from Denmark to the lovely course at Lo Romero and stood looking over the signature 18th hole and they asked why I had brought them to a course where the grass was dying and I explained the reasons above.
The following week I stood in the same spot and after a temperature increase over the previous week the courses was perfectly green.
Greens are sewn with Rye or Bent Grasses which need constant attention and watering all year around but are badly affected by heavy rain,low temperatures and heavy foot traffic.
On this side issue whoever invented the dimple sole golf shoes should be shot because if you have ever followed a group of golfers wearing them on wet or damp greens the surface resembles a ‘waffle’ so bring back studs I say for wet greens.
Give our local golf courses a few weeks until the tempertures increase in March and April and they will be back to their best but until then try and be understanding with the green keepers and try and keep the moaning to the minimum.