Shade vs. turfgrass: a no-win situation?

Bottom line: The presence of shade on a golf course - from trees, buildings or overcast weather - is almost inevitable. And it’s almost always disastrous as well. Turf plants require a great deal of light for optimal growth, and when light is limited, a smorgasbord of problems develop, including low quality turf, weed invasion, increased susceptibility to diseases, traffic damage, bare spots, wet spots, and reduced playability due to the growth of a heterogeneous mixture of turf and weed…