September through November in the Palm Springs, Palm Desert and San Diego areas bring yearly maintenance of overseeding and aerification. The courses close and when they reopen they are cart path only. When booking tee times make sure to inquire about maintenance, because it does affect the pace of play.

Overseeding - The laying of grass seed on top of existing grasses to promote new growth or to replace the existing grass with a new strain for a season. Most commonly done by courses using Bermuda grass, which goes dormant in winter.

In the fall, a Bermuda grass course will put down ryegrass seed (or some other type) on top of the Bermuda grass, timed so that as the Bermuda grass goes dormant the ryegrass grows in. In the spring, Bermuda grass is seeded over the ryegrass.

Many courses that overseed will offer discounted green fees during these periods because the greens will be heavily sanded and the new grass may not be cut for a week to 10 days.

Aeration (or aerification) - Aerification of greens (and sometimes fairways) occurs once or twice a year at most golf courses. To aerify, a piece of machinery built for the task cores the ground (punches holes in the dirt) in a certain pattern. This is done to loosen soil that has been compacted by golfers walking over it, opening up growing room for the roots and increasing oxygen to the roots. It usually takes a couple weeks for the holes to fill in and grow over.

Some courses charge a reduced fee during the aerification process. All should at least give you some warning of the condition of the greens.

For golf reservations, call 1-877-NOW-GOLF (669-4653)