Surviving the Mid-Summer Steam Bath: Managing Poa Annua at WHCC

A picture of #1 fairway before the late June and early July heat wave.

 Well, we are in the thick of it — the most challenging time of year when it comes to keeping the WHCC golf course healthy and in good playing condition. Last year was challenging, to say the least, and this year has proven to be no different. Despite the difficult conditions, we are hanging on and continuing to battle through it. As of this writing, the course is still in decent shape, and our team continues to put in the work every day to maintain and improve the conditions.

There is another heat dome building, and we will soon see how we look after Mother Nature puts us through another steam bath. These stretches of extreme heat and humidity are some of the toughest tests we face as a maintenance team, but we will continue to do everything we can to protect the turf, manage the challenges, and provide the best playing conditions possible for everyone at WHCC. Click here for an informative video update on current conditions from Ohio State.

There are many factors that make WHCC unique, but one of its greatest attributes also contributes to one of our biggest challenges — it is an old golf course. The Club was established in 1912, and many of the original greens and some fairways were constructed over 100 years ago. Because of this history, Poa annua has found an ideal environment to establish and spread throughout many areas of the course.

Older golf courses often have a long history of soil altercation, compaction, and evolving management practices that create favorable conditions for Poa annua to thrive. Its ability to produce large amounts of seed and tolerate frequent mowing allows it to compete aggressively with other turfgrass species, making it increasingly common in aging fairways. In addition to the course’s age, the heavy clay soils found throughout Western Hills also play a major role. These soils tend to hold moisture, and when combined with the abundance of mature trees that provide significant shade, the conditions become even more favorable for Poa annua growth. Wet soils and reduced sunlight create an environment where Poa annua can not only survive but continue to thrive.

Here is a closer look at the biology of Poa annua and why it remains such a unique challenge on golf courses like WHCC.

Poa annua Friend or Foe?

Poa annua (annual bluegrass) is a cool-season grass species that is highly adaptable and capable of growing under a wide range of environmental conditions. Although commonly referred to as an annual, many populations behave as short-lived perennials, allowing plants to survive for multiple years. Poa annua reproduces primarily by seed and is an exceptionally prolific seed producer, with individual plants capable of generating hundreds of seeds that remain viable in the soil for several years. It germinates over an extended period, especially during cool, moist weather, and thrives under the frequent mowing, irrigation, and traffic typical of golf course fairways and greens.

Despite often being considered a weed, Poa annua provides several benefits on golf courses. It establishes rapidly, recovers quickly from wear, and can produce a dense, smooth playing surface that many golfers find desirable, particularly on putting greens. Its tolerance for low mowing heights makes it well suited for intensively managed turf, and in cooler climates it can remain green and actively growing when other turfgrass species become dormant. These characteristics have led some golf courses to intentionally manage Poa annua as the dominant turf on certain playing surfaces.

However, Poa annua also presents significant management challenges. Its shallow root system makes it susceptible to drought, heat stress, and winter injury, often resulting in inconsistent turf quality during periods of environmental stress. Because it germinates continuously and exhibits considerable genetic variability, maintaining uniform growth, color, and playing conditions can be difficult. Additionally, Poa annua is prone to several diseases, including anthracnose and summer patch, and its ability to rapidly develop resistance to herbicides complicates long-term control programs. As a result, we tend to look at annual bluegrass as a less desirable turfgrass especially during the hot Cincinnati summers. Extreme heat kills off poa that leads to the dead summer fairway patches. Many older courses in this area have completely killed off their fairways and reseeded to keep it in check. At WHCC we have yet to take this measure.

I have been fortunate to be part of the WHCC team for 25 years, and during that time I cannot remember a summer when Poa annua did not struggle in at least some areas of the course. Some years are certainly more severe than others, but weather conditions ultimately play the biggest role in determining how much stress and decline we see with Poa annua during the summer months.

Last year, we began addressing some of the underlying issues by improving drainage in low-lying areas and introducing newer bentgrass varieties through slit seeding. These efforts are starting to show positive results, and the newer bentgrass can already be seen establishing in some of the areas that struggled most during last summer’s conditions. However, this is a gradual process that will take time to make a significant impact. The addition of our new Vredo slit seeder, purchased last November, will help accelerate this transition, but a realistic goal is gaining approximately 10–15% more bentgrass coverage each year.

Moving forward, we will continue focusing on practices that favor bentgrass establishment while reducing the conditions that allow Poa annua to dominate. This includes improving drainage, managing shade through selective tree removal, and continuing our overseeding efforts. We appreciate the membership’s patience and understanding during the most stressful part of the growing season as we work toward improving the long-term health and consistency of the course. Click here for a USGA article on comparing golf courses

Poa annua going to seed by #3 green in April. This is a very shady and wet area, increasing the Poa population.

Poa annua (the brown, reddish grass in this picture) in #9 fairway. It is stressing, in early July, because of high heat and humidity. However, notice the healthy green bentgrass starting to fill in. Much of this is from the seeding that took place last season.

Not Ground Hornets or Bees

Over the last couple of years small wasps have begun to buzz around some sand bunkers. They are smaller than the usual suspect, the cicada killer wasp, but tend to look almost identical. These are sand wasps (Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus). Joe Boggs, Ohio State Extension entomologist, wrote an article about these wasps a couple years ago when he found them at White Oak Garden Center (click here for the article). They feed off of brown marmorated stink bugs and are also named stink bug hunters. Like cicada killers, they are solitary wasps that are not aggressive and rarely sting. They dig burrows into sandy soils, making bunkers a perfect environment. Chemical control is difficult because the wasps are scattered out into many different burrow colonies. Daily raking of the bunkers helps to keep the populations down, but the wasps are extremely difficult to fully eliminate. We have made some pesticide applications; however, they eventually resurface. Sand wasps are technically a beneficial insect, and are not a threat to stinging humans. We will continue to frequently rake the sand traps, and if this year is similar to the past, they will eventually move on. Click here for a USGA article on these wasps!

Other Challenges

In addition to routine maintenance, several unexpected issues required attention throughout this early summer season. A hydraulic leak on #3 rough caused significant turf damage, which was repaired by removing the contaminated area and installing new sod to restore the playing surface. Multiple heavy rainfalls in June also resulted in many bunker washouts that required reshaping, sand redistribution, and restoration to maintain playability. On #11, a new drainage line experienced a washout, prompting a repair in which the damaged perforated pipe was replaced with solid pipe to improve water flow and reduce the likelihood of future washouts.

Goosegrass and crabgrass continue to be seasonal weed management challenges throughout the course. While preemergent herbicides are applied each spring to reduce germination, they do not provide complete control due to extended germination periods and environmental conditions. As a result, post-emergent herbicides are now being used to target escaped plants and prevent further spread.

#4 fairway bunker washing out after a 3" rainstorm.

Cutting out the hydraulic leak by #3 green. New sod was added.

#11 washout after a 3" rainstorm. It is amazing the amount of water that flows through this area after a storm.

Difference between goosegrass and crabgrass. Goosegrass has a white middle and is more prevalent on some fairway areas. Crabgrass has more of a lime green color and can sometimes populate around bunker edges.

As we move through the season, our team will continue working hard behind the scenes to keep improving the course and providing the best conditions we can. We appreciate everyone’s patience and support as we tackle the challenges that come with maintaining an older golf course, and we look forward to seeing everyone out enjoying the improvements along the way.

Brad Piecuch

Grounds Superintendent

Preparing for Summer: May Course Update

After the warmest March on record in U.S. history, April followed with unusually warm and extremely dry conditions. While the dry weather allowed us to make significant progress on several course improvement projects, it also required increased irrigation cycles to maintain healthy turf conditions. The extended stretch of warm, dry weather accelerated early-season turf growth and allowed the grounds crew to stay ahead on many spring maintenance priorities.

May, however, has brought a noticeable shift in weather patterns with much cooler temperatures settling into the region. As we move toward the most demanding turf-growing months of the season, the grounds crew remains focused on preparing the golf course for the busy summer ahead.

Deep-Tine Aeration

Deep-tine aeration of the greens was completed on April 27th. During the process, the greens were aerated to a depth of approximately 8 inches to help relieve soil compaction, improve oxygen exchange within the root zone, and promote deeper, healthier root growth. Following aeration, approximately 5 cubic feet of sand per 1,000 square feet was incorporated across the putting surfaces to help improve soil structure, enhance drainage, and maintain smooth, firm playing conditions throughout the season.

Deep-tine aeration is one of the most important agronomic practices performed on golf course greens. By creating channels deep within the soil profile, the process allows water, air, and nutrients to move more effectively through the root zone while reducing compaction caused by traffic and mowing equipment. These improvements help strengthen the turf during the stressful summer months ahead and contribute to healthier, more consistent putting surfaces over the long term. The greens have responded very well to the process and have now almost completely healed in, with putting quality and surface smoothness continuing to improve each day.

#1 green after topdressing

Dragging in the sand

Deep-tine aerating a green

Drainage Project

The drainage project on holes #4, #6, #7, #11, the approach on #13, and valley on #15 has now been completed. The upgraded drainage system was designed to better manage excess water in these low-lying fairway areas, helping to reduce standing water after heavy rainfall and allowing the turf to recover more quickly following wet weather events. Golf Preservations installed a combination of smaller collection pipes to pull water from wet pockets and larger main lines to efficiently move water away from these problem areas.

Shortly after the majority of the spring work was completed, the course received a 2.5-inch rainstorm that caused significant washouts in many of the newly trenched areas. As a result, crews spent an additional two days repairing and stabilizing the affected sections. To help prevent similar issues moving forward, hay bales and erosion-control wattles were installed throughout the project areas. Once the fairway sod has sufficiently rooted in these will be removed. While we are hopeful that the extreme weather conditions experienced during the summer of 2025 will not repeat themselves this season, the new drainage improvements should greatly minimize future damage and improve overall course conditions during extended wet periods.

Drainage work on #15

Installing main lines

Golf Preservations at work

Digging lines

Removing sod

Installing drain tile

Installing main line on #11

A lateral line washing out on #11 after the rainstorm

Installing drainage on #13

Wattles installed to help divert water on #15

Crabgrass?

Intermediate ryegrass and bentgrass were interseeded into some of the fairway mud pits following last summer’s heat wave monsoon-like rain events. In addition, it was used to help mask dormant Bermuda grass fairway patches during the winter months when Bermuda naturally turns brown and becomes visually unappealing (click here for a previous post about overseeding bermuda grass). Intermediate ryegrass was selected because of its extremely quick germination and establishment rate, allowing damaged or thin turf areas to recover rapidly while providing improved turf density and appearance during cooler weather conditions.

Unlike permanent turf varieties, intermediate ryegrass is intended to be temporary. As temperatures rise and summer approaches, the ryegrass naturally declines and dies out, allowing the Bermuda grass underneath to fully transition back into active growth. This process helps protect exposed soil during the offseason while maintaining better overall playing conditions and aesthetics throughout the winter and early spring.

There have been several questions regarding whether the ryegrass currently visible in the fairways is actually crabgrass. The answer is no — intermediate ryegrass and crabgrass are two completely different grasses with very different growth habits and characteristics. Intermediate ryegrass is a cool-season turfgrass that grows in upright bunches with finer leaf blades and was intentionally seeded as part of our turf recovery and winter coverage program. Crabgrass, by comparison, is a lime green warm-season annual weed that grows aggressively outward in a flat, spreading pattern and typically becomes most active during the hotter summer months. In addition, a pre-emergent herbicide application was made to all playing surfaces earlier this season to help reduce crabgrass germination throughout the golf course.

At WHCC, goosegrass has proven to be a more significant challenge than crabgrass in certain areas of the course. Goosegrass is a late season weed (typically germinating in late July or early August) that thrives in compacted, stressed turf conditions and can become more visible during periods of summer heat. Our maintenance team will continue monitoring conditions closely and will make additional herbicide applications as needed throughout the summer to help control goosegrass pressure and maintain healthy playing surfaces.

Intermediate ryegrass mixed in with bermuda grass and poa on #10 fairway

A picture of crabgrass on the left and goosegrass on the right. Notice the difference between these two weeds and the ryegrass above.

Robotic Mowers

The new Husqvarna robotic mowers have now been fully installed and are currently operating on the driving range. These autonomous units are designed to provide consistent, daily mowing while helping improve overall turf quality and appearance. Because the robotic mowers cut smaller amounts of grass more frequently, they produce a cleaner, more uniform playing surface while reducing stress on the turf. 

In addition to the turf benefits, the robotic mowers improve operational efficiency by allowing the maintenance staff to focus more time on detailed course conditioning projects and other agronomic practices throughout the property. The units operate quietly, use significantly less fuel and labor than traditional mowing equipment, and can maintain consistent mowing schedules even during periods of rapid turf growth. As we continue to fine-tune their operation and coverage areas, we expect the robotic mowing program to provide long-term benefits in both course presentation and maintenance efficiency.

Robotic mowers at the driving range

Thick Rough

The spring months always bring a variety of opinions regarding rough height on the golf course. While we work hard to manage growth and maintain consistent playing conditions, the reality is that rough grass naturally becomes longer and thicker during this time of year. In May and June, ideal growing conditions—including warmer soil temperatures, increased rainfall, and longer daylight hours—create a surge in turf growth. Cool-season grasses commonly found in the rough, such as Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescues, thrive during these mild spring conditions. Increased sunlight also boosts photosynthesis, allowing the turf to grow aggressively and fill in areas that may have thinned during winter dormancy.

Spring rainfall plays a major role in this rapid growth cycle as well. Unlike the heat and drought stress often experienced later in the summer, turfgrass during the spring is rarely lacking moisture. Combined with seasonal fertilization programs designed to strengthen the turf for the upcoming golf season, the rough quickly becomes lush, dense, and healthy. Since rough areas are maintained at a significantly higher mowing height than greens or fairways, the grass naturally appears thicker when growing conditions are ideal. In addition, late fall and early spring overseeding programs help fill in bare or thin areas, particularly under tree lines, leading to even denser rough throughout the course.

The purpose of the rough is to challenge players by making recovery shots more difficult, but during late spring the rapid growth can occasionally make the rough more difficult than intended. Managing these conditions can become especially challenging during extended wet periods when saturated turf limits mowing opportunities. Without frequent mowing, the rough can quickly become overly thick and impact pace of play. May and June are some of the busiest months for the grounds crew as rough mowers are often operating daily to keep up with growth. As summer progresses, however, hotter and drier conditions—combined with competition from tree roots—typically thin the rough considerably, leading us back into our overseeding programs again later in the fall.

Summer Annuals

The horticulture team has been extremely busy over the past two months transitioning the landscape beds from spring into summer color. The tulip displays provided outstanding color through the Easter season before naturally reaching the end of their bloom cycle. Once the spring bulbs finished flowering, crews began removing the spent plant material and preparing the landscape beds for the installation of summer annuals and tropical plantings.

With the arrival of May, summer flower planting is now well underway throughout the clubhouse and pro shop areas. This season’s ornamental displays feature a wide variety of colorful and tropical plants, including cannas, petunias, New Guinea impatiens, crotons, majesty palms, zinnias, euphorbia, and many others. After planting is completed, fresh mulch will be installed to help retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperatures, and enhance the overall appearance of the beds. These seasonal improvements will help beautify the clubhouse and pro shop grounds for the summer season.

Tulips blooming

Star light rose zinnias by the entrance

Roses in bloom

Birds of paradise and petunias

Brad Piecuch
Grounds Superintendent

Spring Groundskeeping Update

March has been a roller coaster of temperatures on the golf course, keeping the grounds crew constantly adjusting from one extreme to the next. Warm, springlike days have encouraged early growth and brought golfers out in full force, only to be followed by sharp drops in temperature that slow everything back down. As I write this post we are sitting at a high of 28 degrees and this weekend the forecast has temperatures soaring into the 70s. Along with the temperature extremes Mother Nature has provided us with more than a couple storms leaving a decent amount of debris to cleanup. 

Mowing #1 green for the first time this year.

Wind

If there’s one thing the grounds department dreads most, it’s wind. Over the past few days, gusts reaching up to 45 mph have created a constant battle with debris, leaving the crew repeatedly clearing and restoring different areas. Playing surfaces have been blown off multiple times, requiring ongoing attention just to keep them usable. Several trees have also suffered damage—some completely uprooted—while a large pin oak lost nearly half its canopy after splitting apart under the force of the wind. We are in the process of removing the pin oak and it should be completely cleaned up by the weekend.

Pin oak tree damaged by wind

Half of the tree fell onto #2 cart path and fairway.

White Pine tree blown over by #17 green.

Cleaning up the #2 pin oak tree.

Drainage Project Update

As I wrote about in the last post, Golf Preservations was finishing up the drainage project on holes 11 and 15 when old man winter dropped a 5" snow storm in early December that brought the project to a screeching halt. Golf Preservations is adjusting their schedule to try and get the remaining two holes completed in early April. The drainage has worked well on the three holes that were completed last fall. #4 hillside , #6 valley, and #7 valley all drained very well after the late winter snows and the early spring rain events. This will improve drainage, allowing water to move off the fairways more quickly after summer rains and reducing the risk of standing moisture, hopefully, before the intense heat of the summer sun can stress and damage the turf. 

Slit seeding #4 hillside in early August after the summer moisture "boiled" the turf.

Hillside now, right after an early spring rainstorm. It drains much better!

Slit Seeding

The new Vredo slit seeder has been getting alot of use so far this spring. Most of the dead fairway areas from last summer's heat wave monsoons have recovered. There are some stubborn bare patches that we are slit seeding this spring. In addition, we are working to incorporate newer bentgrass varieties into the fairways to improve their overall health and enhance recovery during the stress of the summer months. These improved varieties are better equipped to withstand heat and wear, helping to maintain stronger, more resilient playing surfaces throughout the season.

Slit seeding #6 fairway.

Robotic Mowers

Four additional robotic mowers are being installed at the driving range, expanding our ability to maintain the entire area more efficiently. These units will be capable of mowing all key surfaces, including tee tops, surrounds, target greens, and the range floor. These mowers will help ensure consistent playing conditions and a high-quality appearance throughout the range. A technician will be on site in the coming weeks to map out the area and install the necessary software, after which the system will be fully operational and ready to go. This investment represents a step into the future of course maintenance, embracing innovative technology to improve turf care.

The four new robotic mowers at the driving range.

Additional Projects

Bunkers are currently being measured and replenished with sand to ensure they meet WHCC standards of 2 inches on the faces and 4 inches in the centers. We have already applied one load (22.5 tons) of bunker sand, with an additional load on order. Due to winter delays, the next shipment (sourced from Cleveland) is not expected to arrive until later this month as production has only recently resumed. Please keep in mind that even with proper springtime measurements, heavy rains can wash out bunker sand, making it challenging to maintain a consistent depth throughout the season.

The tulips are emerging rapidly thanks to the early stretch of warm temperatures. The horticulture crew has been busy mulching. If the current forecast holds, blooms could begin appearing by the end of March—or possibly even earlier— with hopes they will continue through Easter in early April.

The stump grindings from winter tree work have been fully cleared, and we are now in the process of filling the resulting holes with topsoil. To do this, we are repurposing the spoils from the late-fall drainage project. Sod will be ordered in early April to complete the project.

Mowing operations have also begun across many playing surfaces. Greens, fairways, and tees have each been mowed at least once, while the rough is beginning to actively grow and is scheduled for its first cut later this week.

March is always a crazy weather month. As conditions begin to settle into a more consistent warm pattern, we will transition fully into our daily maintenance routines. Until then, we’ll keep holding on tight and adapting as Mother Nature makes up her mind!

 

Brad Piecuch
Grounds Superintendent

 

From Freeze to Thaw: A Busy Winter for the Grounds Crew

 It has been a busy winter season so far on the WHCC grounds. Wild temperature swings have occurred over the past few months, with snow followed by warm spells and a return to freezing conditions. During this time, several projects were completed, including the following:

Drainage

Golf Preservations began installing drainage on #4 hillside, #6 valley, #7 valley, #11, and #15 valley. The project was moving along at a steady pace during the end of November into the first days of December. Then this happened...

The December snows put a halt on this project and by the time it melted their H2-B workers were unavailable. Luckily, they were able to get 75% of the drainage installed completing all of #4 valley, #6 valley, and #7 valley. Golf Preservations started on #11 then the snow hit. We are hoping to have them back out in March to finish the drainage on the remaining holes, but it all depends on weather and when their workers are able to begin. 

There were a couple of rain events after completion on some holes, and drainage performed well. However, hole #11 experienced a washout due to excessive moisture flowing in from hole 10, combined with dormant Bermuda grass that was unable to establish roots this time of year to secure the sod. We patched up this area and added straw bales to slow down the flow of water. We are hopeful that these areas will perform much better this summer season because of the new drainage.

Installing drainage on #4.

Compacting the trenches.

Digging trenches.

Fixing bad areas on #4 fairway after the drainage installation.

#11 trench wash out after a 1.5" rain storm.

Trench fixed with straw bales used to divert water away from the trench.

Verticuting Fairways

Around Christmas the weather pattern flipped and temperatures soared into the 50s and 60s for over a week. This allowed us to get a head start on some of the important cultural practices that we typically perform in early spring. One of these projects was verticutting fairways.

Verticutting fairways helps clean out excess thatch and organic buildup, which keeps turf healthier and playing better. It also encourages the grass to grow more upright by opening up the canopy and letting in more air, light, and nutrients. In the long run, it helps create firmer, more consistent playing surfaces golfers notice and appreciate.

Because of the warm temperatures we were able to complete half of the fairways which will help us get an early jump on this important practice. We were also able to get down some important winter sprays on the greens before old man winter showed up again.

Wiedenmann Triple V verticutter

Verticutting #18 fairway at 1/2" depth.

Picking up debris with J.D. TC-125

Dumping out the thatch.

Electric Installation

This fall, the Green Committee approved adding electricity to the driving range to support a larger fleet of robotic mowers. It was a 750 foot run from the grounds building to the driving range. A single-phase 208V, 40A feeder was installed to supply two outlets that will run 4 additional mowers to mow the driving range floor, tee surrounds, and eventually the tee tops. The ultimate goal is to not only mow the range with robotic mowers, but also eventually add in a robotic picker making the entire range system autonomous. With the first step of installing electric completed, step two will be to have the robotic technicians on property to map out the area. Then we will install reference stations, update software, and hopefully be mowing with robots by the spring. Stay tuned as we embrace the future with the introduction of these advanced robotic mowers. 

Electric run from grounds building to this area.

Running conduit from the building

Out to the driving range landscaped area above the chipping green.

Installing outlets

Finished product. This is where the charging stations will be located.

Tree Work

Cold weather signals the grounds department’s switch to full arboriculture mode. This winter, we plan to remove 15 trees in-house and have 11 additional trees handled by a professional tree service. We are working on the USGA agronomist's tree report (CLICK HERE FOR THE REPORT). The tree removals recommended for holes 1–4 were completed this season, along with several trees affected by disease or decline. After the trees are removed, all stumps will be ground, the resulting holes filled with topsoil, and the areas either seeded or sodded. As of this writing, nine trees have been removed by the tree company, with the remaining two expected to be taken down before any further winter weather arrives. In addition, 13 of the 15 in-house trees have been removed and the rest will be completed in the next couple weeks.

Cutting down a white pine by #2 fairway.

Cutting down a white pin with pine wilt disease. Notice the blue stain fungi located in the xylem layer. This is a tell-tale sign of this disease.

Removing an ash tree by the south tee that was rotting out at the base.

Splitting the wood of a honey locust tree.

Chipping  debris at #2 dump.

Taking down a sweet gum tree with nutrient deficiencies and significant canopy dieback.

Removing pin oaks right side of #2.

Removing pin oak debris.

View of #2 from the tees before removing the three pin oaks next to the right side of the fairway.

View after removals. Really opens up the fairway!

Removing the three pin oaks right of #4 fairway.

In the short term, a major winter storm will keep the grounds department busy with snow removal. Once that’s behind us, the next projects on the horizon include installing steps on the #4 tee box and completing the remaining tree removals. This roller-coaster winter hasn’t slowed us down—if anything, it’s given us even more opportunities to improve the course for members to enjoy next season!

Brad Piecuch

Grounds Superintendent