What It Means When Golf Grass Goes Dormant
In its golf usage, "dormant" refers to a period of rest, or nongrowth, for certain grasses used on some golf courses. Bermudagrasses go dormant in the winter, for example. That doesn't mean that the bermudagrass dies (even though it turns brown), but more like it takes a time-out during the cold part of the year.
You can think of a dormant golf course turf as being in hibernation. When weather conditions (primarily, but not exclusively, meaning temperature) turn favorable again, the dormant turfgrass will emerge from dormancy and begin growing again.
Golf courses using grasses that go dormant during the winter will typically overseed, meaning they'll let another type of grass grow over the dormant variety. But overseeding is not required — dormant grasses are typically fine for playing golf, even though they might look dead, and might not look very pretty. (And winter is not the only time a grass might go dormant. Drought conditions in summer might send some grasses into dormancy, for example.)
Dormant grasses on a golf course can look pretty, though: You've probably seen photos or videos, or played a course, where the rough is dormant but the fairways and greens are still green. It's a striking look, all that brown making the green ribbons of growing grass appear especially vibrant.
Because they are not growing, however, golf courses and golfers need to use extra care when maintaining and playing golf on dormant turfgrasses. Stay off those dormant grasses as much possible (stay on the cart paths as much as possible, in other words). Don't take divots with your practice swings on dormant turfs. Be especially diligent about repairing ball marks on dormant putting surfaces. Don't get mad if you show up to golf course that has let its tee boxes go dormant and is requiring golfers to hit tee shots off mats.
Think of playing on dormant turf as a way to experience conditions you might not see during other parts of the year, when the grass is growing. As the USGA has written, "Dormancy means tighter lies and faster conditions because there is less resistance in the leaves. Dormant grass also doesn't require much water, so very firm conditions are possible."
Further reading:
- Do golf courses paint the grass?
- What is hardpan on the golf course?
- What are 'double-cut' greens, and why do it?
Gross, Pat. "Dormant Bermudagrass Depression," United States Golf Association, January 26, 2011, https://www.usga.org/course-care/2011/01/dormant-bermudagrass-depression-2147495867.html.
Isom, Cory. "Dealing With Dormany," United States Golf Association, November 15, 2024, https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/course-care/green-section-record/62/issue-21/dealing-with-dormancy.html.
