Preparing for summer turfcare maintenance success

In this bustling season, turf resilience is tested by what is often referred to as ‘summer stress’ – a general worsening of turf conditions caused by buggies and foot traffic, dry weather and high temperatures.

Our summer maintenance guide explores six actionable strategies to tackle these unique challenges during the hottest months of the year. Read on to find practical tips and the best equipment to help your golf course thrive even in extreme summer heat.

Alternatively, you can explore our general guide to seasonal maintenance to optimise your strategy all year round.

1. Adjust the height of cut

Did you know that, above a certain temperature, the enzymes responsible for photosynthesis are denatured, and many plants struggle to produce enough energy to survive? This is commonly known as ‘heat stress’.

In these conditions, mowing the turf too closely can exacerbate that stress, decreasing the leaf area necessary for photosynthesis. A simple step you can take to prevent this issue is to raise the height of cut – a strategy that also helps increase turf protection from the sun and retain soil moisture.

Other precautions you can take to support grass health are to routinely change the direction of regular mowing, to minimise wear patterns, and to sharpen or replace your mower blades. Other than impacting the quality of cut, dull blades tear grass, increasing vulnerability to fungal disease and turf stress.

Best mowers to minimise turf stress

Cylinder mowers are the industry standard to ensure the high-quality playing surface required for golf greens, tees and fairways. However, summer maintenance also calls for machines that can help you to minimise turf stress.

Toro’s Greensmaster Flex 1021 walk-behind mower, for instance, is light and delicate on turf. It offers exceptional manoeuvrability and its patented Flex suspension enables the cutting unit to hug the contours of greens for a crisp, precise cut.

And if you’re looking for a ride-on option for increased productivity, why not consider the Toro Reelmaster 3575-D? With seven-inch cutting units producing a low centre of gravity and smooth, turf-friendly tyres, the Reelmaster 3575-D is the ideal lightweight mower to reduce turf compaction and damage. Additionally, its highly manoeuvrable three-wheel-drive system enables tight turns, minimises turnaround time and further prevents turf tear.

2. Avoid nutrient deficiency with fertilisers

Healthy turf is the foundation of a resilient golf course. But as ‘heat stress’ and general dryness can cause a deficiency of essential nutrients, greenkeepers should supply sufficient levels of nitrogen and potassium to ensure proper nutrition of the turf.

Potassium-rich fertiliser, in particular, is critical for the overall health of the course as it enables the grass to better endure drought and hot weather by helping plant cells better retain moisture and store more water.

However, remember to avoid over-fertilising – a buildup of salts in the soil can burn the grass blades and cause them to turn yellow or brown.

Fertilising made easy

The best way to spray fertiliser across the entire golf course? You need to combine precision and productivity with the certainty that you aren’t under- or over-fertilising the turf.

For instance, the Toro Multi Pro 1750 is an efficient sprayer designed to maximise spraying accuracy and deliver consistent application rates from start to finish, thanks to an uncomplicated system that is remarkably simple to use.

According to Grant Stewart, Course Manager at Huntercombe Golf Club, that is exactly what his team was looking for: “We needed a sprayer that is reliable and easy to use. I appreciate the technological capabilities of the Multi Pro 1750 and all the extras it can have, but ultimately what works for us is a simple but efficient sprayer.”

He continues: “With the technology and accuracy in the Multi Pro, we can be exact with the areas we spray – everything is controlled and there’s no wastage or spraying of unnecessary areas. We use our sprayer for wetting agents, biostimulants and fertilising in a low regime.”

3. Overseeding to improve turf resilience and aesthetics

Despite your best efforts, summer months can be tough on grass, creating turf damage that impacts the playability and appearance of the course.

Overseeding can be an effective strategy to mitigate those issues and maintain lush, healthy turf even in high-traffic areas like greens, tees, and fairways.

However, overseeding in the midst of summer, when the temperature is consistently reaching 25°C, can be counterproductive and require an excessive amount of water to allow the healthy growth of new roots. The period between the end of August and the beginning of September is generally better.

Alternatively, you could sow heat-tolerant grass varieties proactively in the spring to make your turf more resistant to high temperatures and improve its overall resilience. In that case, drought-tolerant grass types like Bermuda, zoysia, or fine fescue can be great options, depending on your climate and course needs.

4. Fight compaction and thatch with aeration

Increased soil compaction and thatch levels are common byproducts of summer foot traffic and heat stress. But, if left untreated, they can exacerbate turf damage by isolating deep roots from vital nutrients such as water, oxygen, potassium and nitrogen.

Like in the spring and autumn, aeration is an excellent solution to relieve these symptoms and promote root growth; however, summer heat presents additional challenges that should inform your strategy.

To reduce stress of the turf, greenkeepers should aerate as little as possible and avoid using hollow tines between June and August. Not only are hollow tines tougher on the soil – digging out cores of turf rather than punching holes – but they significantly increase drainage, causing excessive dryness on the course surface.

For more information about the pros and cons of hollow or solid tines, check out our dedicated guide.

Simplify aeration with Toro’s equipment

The best way to aerate your golf course while minimising stress and damage to the turf is to use modern machines designed to deliver precise and consistent holes.

Take for instance the new Toro ProCore 648s pedestrian aerator. Compared to its trusted predecessor, the ProCore 648, enhanced controls improve ergonomics and enable smooth, single-handed operation. Key settings like hole spacing and true tine depth can now be adjusted and saved directly in the InfoCenter, and the onboard controller continuously tracks essential operating parameters to optimise post-aeration turf quality.

With a tighter turning radius, reduced wheel scrubbing and faster turning speeds, productivity also gets a significant boost. Reliable, high-performing and packed with innovation – the ProCore 648s is the ultimate choice for superior aeration.

5. Topdress to impress

As grass continues to grow during the summer months, regular topdressing can help maintain smooth and firm surfaces for your course, providing quality playing conditions without the need to excessively reduce mowing heights.

Topdressing with sand or compost can also improve soil structure and help manage thatch buildup while promoting even turf growth. However, it’s important to apply only light, frequent layers of sand compared to cooler months to reduce the risk of smothering grass, adjusting your strategy based on the specific growth rate of your turf.

Other tips include: match the topdressing mix to your existing soil profile to prevent layering issues and topdress in early morning or late afternoon, when temperatures are cooler, to minimise heat stress.

Ensure topdressing consistency with Toro

Having full control of your topdressing patterns – to ensure you don’t exceed the optimal amount of sand for your course – requires sophisticated equipment you can rely on.

And when it comes to spread consistency, the Toro MH 400 delivers unmatched control, applying materials from ultra-light to ultra-heavy rates with perfect evenness. Thanks to its patented ‘drop zone’ sliding adjustment, you can customise spread widths from a focused 2.74m (9ins) to a wide 12.2m (40ins), ensuring precise coverage every time.

The MH 400 also brings exceptional versatility and performance, making it a vital part of any maintenance program to boost efficiency, save time and cut operating costs.

6. Create an efficient irrigation plan

Optimal water management is arguably the most important factor contributing to a healthy turf during the summer months, when high temperatures dry out the soil faster.

To keep your golf course healthy and resilient, it’s essential to water deeply and during the cooler hours of the day to ensure moisture won’t evaporate before it reaches the root zone, where it’s needed most.

A modern irrigation system like Toro’s Lynx Central Control, equipped with sophisticated moisture sensors, can give you complete control over your golf course, enabling you to effortlessly water any area at your chosen time.

In particular, with Lynx, you can:

• Easily identify anomalies across your course using an intuitive, user-friendly interface
• Track irrigation performance through daily summaries of both planned and manual watering events
• Set exact watering rates in inches, millimeters, or minutes to avoid over- or under-watering
• Visually manage irrigation with a fully interactive digital course map for total control and clarity

Explore our in-depth guide to summer irrigation for more tips on optimising your water management strategy.

Elevating turfcare with industry-leading equipment

Maintaining healthy, resilient turf through the year’s driest and hottest months takes careful planning and preparation, a skilled team and reliable equipment you can count on.

That’s where Toro comes in – delivering high-performance turfcare machinery built to handle every challenge, supported by cutting-edge innovation and unmatched industry expertise.

Want to learn how Reesink can help you find the perfect Toro equipment for your golf course? Call 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk, or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk today.