Historically, Terravita, like many other desert golf courses, has shorter than average rough. This is mostly due to the fact that we have a bermudagrass base that needs to transition in the spring. The overseed process is awfully traumatic for the bermudagrass. Imagine one day something beats you up, takes all your resources, and then lays on top of you for 8 months. That's basically what overseeding means for bermudagrass.
So what does any of this have to do with heights of cut in the rough? In a normal year, heights are kept much lower for the simple goal of getting as much sunlight as possible down to the bermudagrass. More sunlight = better transition. Because we do not have a bermudagrass base this year (see a previous Maddie's Minute if you missed that one), we are able to keep the height of rough much higher this year than in years past; the single most requested item since my arrival to Terravita. "Madddddddiiiiiieeeeeee, can you pleeeeeeeeease raise the heights in rough????????" I've heard it 100 times.
Now, the most frequent request I've heard this year is, "Madddddddiiiiiieeeeeee, can you pleeeeeeeeease lower the heights in rough????????". Our current height of cut in the rough is 1.5" and in a normal year it would be 1'. That additional half inch has left many searching for balls, thus slowing down play and diminishing the overall experience.
We have begun the process of dropping heights in the rough, and while mowing frequency due to lowered staff size (a topic for another day) will continue to be a challenge, it's my hope that this reduced height of cut will give you all a better experience out there!
Any questions? Leave them below this post or send me a email directly!
Hit em straight Terravita!
