Why harmattan is hard on grass
Humidity drops below 20%, the wind dries the leaf and fine dust settles in the canopy. Greens that are fast in October can turn hard and bumpy within two weeks if nobody adjusts.
Water at night, little and often
We switch irrigation to short cycles between 2am and 5am, when the wind is lowest. The lake holds enough water for the whole dry season, so we never draw from the town supply.
Raise the mower
Cutting height goes up from 3 mm to 3.5 mm. The greens run a touch slower, about 9.5 on the stimpmeter, but they stay smooth and the grass survives.
Brush the dust off
Every morning before the first tee, the team brushes each green and rolls it lightly. It takes ninety minutes for all eighteen and makes the biggest difference of all.
What members can do
Repair pitch marks, rake bunkers and keep buggies on the paths. Dry turf scars easily and takes weeks to recover.
Written by the Riverstone team. Example article for this demo.
