Most of you probably know what poa is, its the lighter yellowish grass that is very noticeable in the spring and fall. This annual bluegrass is a very big problem due to its aggressiveness. It is able to outcompete the bentgrass and there is no current option to remove the poa without killing the bentgrass. There are a few products that are currently being tested that look promising for removing the grass, and I will continue to follow these.
The way I manage the poa is to keep a growth regulator on the greens which keeps the poa from seeding out and keeps the growth in check. One of the only problems with poa (besides the aesthetics) is that it grows faster than the bentgrass and can make the putts bumpy late in the day. Growth regulators keep the growth in check and can help keep the poa from spreading.
Poa is spread by aerification among other things, especially when the aeification is pushed early in the spring or late in the fall and cant heal quickly. It also encroaches rapidly when turf is unhealthy after thinning due to summer stress. Poa cannot take the summer heat very well and can succumb to disease (anthracnose) in the summer as well. This can cause problems if there is a high percentage of poa in the greens.
The best defense against poa is to keep it out in the first place, because once it gets in you can just manage and minimize its effects and try and keep it in check. Hopefully in the near future we will have a remedy to assist us in its eradication.
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