Lawrence Golf Design

 Where design meets biology — and patience turns to playability.

Every golf course renovation ends with dirt covered in green. But between shaping the last bunker and welcoming the first foursome lies one of the most misunderstood — and most critical — steps in the entire process: the grow-in phase.

At Lawrence Golf Design, the grow-in isn’t treated as an afterthought.

It’s the stage where everything designed, engineered, and built is tested against real-world conditions — water, soil, heat, and time. Handled properly, grow-in defines how a renovated course will perform for the next decade.

“Grow-in” refers to the period between construction completion and course reopening, when new turf is established, matured, and stabilized for play.

This window typically lasts three to five months, depending on:

• Turf variety
• Seasonal climate
• Regional soil profile
• Maintenance resources
• Weather conditions

The process involves careful irrigation, fertility management, and gradual mowing that guide seedlings or sprigs into a uniform, healthy surface. In many ways, grow-in is the first true “test round” for a new design.

While each project is unique, most follow a rhythm familiar to any turf manager or architect-superintendent team.

• Frequent, light irrigation keeps seed or sprigs consistently moist.
• Fertility programs emphasize root development over leaf growth.
• Construction traffic is restricted to prevent compaction.
• Early mowing begins once turf reaches 30–40% coverage, promoting lateral spread.

At this stage, the superintendent and Lawrence Golf Design collaborate daily to ensure contours, drainage, and soil amendments are functioning as planned.

• Irrigation is gradually reduced to encourage deeper rooting.
• Topdressing begins to smooth surface irregularities.
• Selective rolling and early verticutting harden the surface.
• Disease monitoring intensifies as humidity rises.

Lawrence Golf Design often schedules follow-up site walks during this window to confirm turf density and adjust maintenance priorities before full establishment.

• Nutrient programs shift toward playability — firmer greens, consistent speeds.
• Mowing height moves closer to final specifications.
• Weak areas are re-sprigged or over-seeded.
• Play testing (by maintenance or committee staff) helps identify micro-grading issues.

Only when the surface performs predictably — under irrigation, traffic, and weather — does the course approach reopening readiness.

The grow-in timeline varies significantly depending on grass species and regional climate.

• Ultradwarf Bermudagrass
  •  4–6 months 
  •  Carolinas, Georgia, Florida 
  •  Fast establishment, heat-tolerant 
•  Zoysia
  •   6–9 months
  •   Transition zones
  •  Slower to spread, excellent density 
• Bentgrass
  •  6–9 months
  •  Mountain / Mid-Atlantic
  •  Sensitive to summer heat; often planted late summer
•  Paspalum
  •  5–7 months
  •  Coastal areas
  •  Salt-tolerant but water-quality dependent

Lawrence Golf Design selects turf varieties based on both design strategy and micro-climate durability — and utilizes seasoned agronomic professionals to assist in turf selection and grow-in management.

Many clubs underestimate grow-in cost because “construction is done.”

In reality, this phase requires a distinct budget and staffing plan.

Typical grow-in budgets include:

• Fertilizer and wetting agents
• Fungicide and insect control
• Fuel and equipment maintenance
• Temporary irrigation adjustments
• Partial staffing ramp-up before reopening
• Member communications or marketing costs

Even though heavy machinery is gone, Lawrence Golf Design’s work isn’t finished.

Jeff Lawrence maintains active involvement during grow-in to:

• Verify grading and drainage performance post-rainfall
• Adjust mowing lines and fairway widths as turf establishes
• Monitor bunker sand performance and edge stability
• Confirm irrigation distribution and soil moisture uniformity
• Recommend touch-ups or refinements before final acceptance

This hands-on collaboration with the superintendent ensures design intent is preserved while agronomic conditions mature safely.

1. Rushing the Reopening – Opening too early compresses grow-in maturity, leading to weak turf, scalping, and long-term recovery costs.
2. Under-watering in early stages – Attempting to conserve water too soon can cause localized dry spots and uneven germination.
3. Skipping topdressing cycles – Minor imperfections left unaddressed during grow-in become persistent playability complaints later.
4. Neglecting communication – Members lose patience if they don’t see progress updates or understand the purpose of extended closure.

Lawrence Golf Design emphasizes transparent communication throughout the process, helping clubs explain why patience equals performance.

Grow-in is part science, part art — and mostly timing. For warm-season turf, every week gained in spring establishment saves recovery time in the fall. Conversely, pushing bentgrass grow-ins too late into summer risks failure.

By aligning construction completion with regional weather windows, Lawrence Golf Design maximizes turf health and minimizes calendar delays.

The success of a grow-in isn’t determined by the calendar — it’s measured by:

• Uniform turf coverage
• Consistent moisture infiltration
• Predictable ball reaction
• Healthy root depth

Lawrence Golf Design typically conducts post-opening reviews 3–6 months after reopening to fine-tune performance.

These sessions often lead to small refinements—mower line shifts, bunker edge adjustments, or fairway expansion—that complete the project’s evolution.

For members, a closed course can feel like a void. Lawrence Golf Design encourages clubs to transform that downtime into engagement:

• Share drone updates and photo sequences.
• Host “walk the course” previews with the superintendent.
• Provide reopening timelines based on turf milestones, not arbitrary dates.

Transparency builds anticipation and demonstrates professionalism — two traits that strengthen trust in both the architect and the club leadership.

A thoughtful grow-in pays dividends for decades:

• Surfaces reach performance consistency faster.
• Maintenance inputs stabilize sooner.
• Member satisfaction increases as playability improves each season.

When properly managed, grow-in isn’t a delay — it’s the final stage of craftsmanship.

It’s where the invisible elements of design—contour, drainage, soil—mature into a course that looks and plays as intended.

“Grow-in isn’t waiting,” Lawrence notes. “It’s finishing.”
 

• Grow-in typically lasts 3–6 months, depending on turf type and climate.
• Budgeting for grow-in from day one prevents financial surprises.
• Architect involvement during grow-in ensures design accuracy
• Patience during grow-in leads to faster long-term stability and better member satisfaction.

A renovation’s grand reveal begins long before the ribbon cutting — it begins the moment new turf takes root.