Superintendent: Your bug spray can be incredibly damaging to the golf course

Pesky bugs on the golf course can ruin an evening nine. And the threat of illness from mosquitoes is not to be messed with. But did you know that your bug spray can damage the turf? Spraying bug spray on yourself while you’re on the golf course may feel like a non-event to you, but the photo here proves that you can actually cause a lot of damage in a very small amount of time.

Amanda Fontaine, the superintendent at Ledges Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass., says that the damage bug spray can do to grass can take a long time to fix.

“We can experience a little tip burn if it’s a quick spritz or total kill if you hammer on the spray for total coverage. We can cup or hex out areas for a quick fix, but it takes weeks to over a month to recover after a spray,” Fontaine says.

Areas on the golf course that are mowed low, such as greens, tee boxes and fairways, are particularly vulnerable. These areas are more delicate than the longer grass in the rough and more likely to be damaged. But the rough can still be damaged, too.

Fontaine says the best places to apply bug spray are in the parking lot, while standing on a cart path, and even taking a couple of steps into the woods or while standing in a bunker.

You can also adjust the type of bug spray you use. Aerosol sprays are especially bad,  creating a potent, fine mist that spreads far. But there are options like bug spray wipes and lotions that won’t hurt the grass at all because they won't make contact with the turf.

It’s fine to use bug spray on the golf course. Just be smart about how and where you’re applying it.