Over the past several weeks, Southwest Florida experienced some of the coldest and most prolonged winter weather we have seen in more than fifteen years. Unlike a typical cold front that passes through in a day or two, this stretch included multiple consecutive mornings of frost and slower daytime warming.
In northern climates, frost usually results in a delay in play to protect actively growing cool-season turf. In our region, where we grow warm-season bermudagrass, extended cold causes the plant to enter a dormant or semi-dormant state. This is a natural protective response. The turf remains healthy, but its color fades and growth slows until consistent warmth returns.
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| February 9, 2026 |
Olde Florida entered this period with excellent turfgrass coverage and overall plant health, and the golf course remains in very good condition. As temperatures rise, the turf in frost-affected areas will steadily grow out of the discoloration and return to normal appearance.
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| February 9, 2026 |
To help speed the transition, we lowered the height of cut in the rough by ¼ inch and applied both granular and liquid nutrients so the plant has what it needs to actively grow as conditions become favorable. Color is already returning to the rough, and continued improvement will occur with the forecasted warmer temperatures.
