A slow green is better than a fast brown
Posted by mynormas on July 16, 2011
I just came back from a golf course in north Malaysia where the weather has been hazy; little sunlight. But at the same time, in central region, we are having thunderstorms/heavy rains in the evenings with about the same result; little sunlight.
For both situations, I would advise people to raise their cutting heights. But please don’t stop or skipping mowing. Just mow higher. For green, raise it by 0.5mm and for fairways and fields, well, if the weather doesn’t improve soon or when you start to notice that you are cutting more leaf or the grass starts turning brown after mowing; raise your mowers by a notch or by 2mm.
For rough or fields under shade (trees, buildings etc) you may need to take action sooner.
Remember that grass is a plant that uses photosynthesis to make food and that process needs sunlight to work. If there is not enough sunlight, the leaf and stem will start to lengthen
Same grass. Gues which one got not enough sunlight
. When they lengthen and you cut at the same height; you are cutting off more leaf than usual.
The usual response I get to that advice is: but my greenspeed will be slower! And my usual answer is: A slow green is better than a fast brown.
Turf Matters 
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