Lowest Ryegrass Fairway Height Cancel The title field is required!

1. Ryan Leach

   

   6 posts
   
   9/30/2013 11:09 AM

   We have Perennial Ryegrass fairways and are cutting at 3/4". We are located in middle Ohio in hardiness zone 5B. I am wanting to bump them down next season to maybe as low as 5/8". What are everyone's thought on that?

   
   
   
   
2. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   9/30/2013 12:09 PM

   Just curious as to what an eighth of an inch difference achieves.?
   
   Regards,
   
   Steve

   
   
   
   
3. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   9/30/2013 1:09 PM

   I could possible see the ball "sitting up" or not sitting down as much, especially in rye. But that isn't a big difference as Steve suggests.
   
   An idea for you to try, if you mow your collars or approaches with a triplex, set it for 5/8's and see what the difference looks like. Of course depending on what you mow fairways with bench height isn't the same as field height.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
4. Christopher Lewis

   

   0 posts
   
   9/30/2013 1:09 PM

   we take our ryegrass down to .30 with no problems. Most of the season we run fairways at .45 and tees and collars at .4 with no problems. We are located in the Denver metro area.

   
   
   
   
5. Anthony Nysse

   

   1 posts
   
   9/30/2013 2:09 PM

   Ive seen rye overseed as low as .300"

   
   
   
   
6. James Schmid

   

   1 posts
   
   9/30/2013 4:09 PM

   I have mowed overseeded rye as low as .300 on fairways and had them be healthy. I don't think it would really start to struggle until you go below .200

   
   
   
   
7. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   9/30/2013 4:09 PM

   Lots of guys around here with old 328 greens overseed with Rye. Mow around .120" most of the winter. Of course, they somewhat have a Bermuda base filling the voids!

   
   
   
   
8. Tim Gravert

   

   0 posts
   
   9/30/2013 5:09 PM

   When I worked at a multi course facility we had fairways and approaches mowed anywhere from .500-.750 down to .350-450. In my opinion the "tighter" we kept them the better they played, as there was less grass laying over. In saying that we also performed more cultural practices ie grooming, verticutting, topdressing, aerating, overseeding and had a bigger chemical and fertilizer budgets with the closer cut fairways and approaches. I would think player expectations along with budget constraints would make the decision for you.

   
   
   
   
9. Tim Gravert

   

   0 posts
   
   9/30/2013 5:09 PM

   July, and August in Ohio is going to be just a tad different than overseeded fairways in the South!!! Correct me if I'm wrong???????

   
   
   
   
10. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    9/30/2013 6:09 PM

    Tim Gravert said: July, and August in Ohio is going to be just a tad different than overseeded fairways in the South!!! Correct me if I'm wrong???????

    
    
    
    I agree. Typically by the time it germinates were looking to kill it off!

    
    
    
    
11. Ryan Leach

    

    6 posts
    
    10/2/2013 6:10 AM

    Thanks for the replies. I was looking to see if the 1/8" difference might reduce the laying over some. We are mowing our collars at 1/2" and they hold up well however, they lay without frequent verticutting. I would knock down the collars and fairways together. We have four people on staff including myself that maintain the entire course. If knocking the height down will increase cultural practices I will have to cut my losses and deal. Sorry for any ignorance in the matter, this is my 2nd season as a superintendent so I am still learning the finer things.