As fall fades into winter across much of the South, golfers begin seeing a familiar transformation under their feet: the vibrant green of Bermuda fairways slowly shifts toward a pale, straw-colored dormancy. If you play in states where Bermuda is common, this transition can dramatically affect the way your wedge shots react—not just in contact, but in spin, rollout, and confidence around the greens.

In this edition of Inside the Scoring Zone, we’ll use these photos taken from late fall conditions to break down what happens to Bermuda as it transitions, how it affects scoring shots, and what adjustments you should make to keep your wedge game sharp all winter long.

🍂 Where Bermuda Goes Dormant

Bermuda grass thrives in heat, which is why it’s dominant across the Southeast, Sun Belt, and lower Southwest.
Typical regions where Bermuda fairways transition into full dormancy include:

• Texas (central and east)

• Oklahoma

• Arkansas

• Louisiana

• Mississippi

• Alabama

• Georgia

• South Carolina

• North Carolina (mostly central & eastern regions)

• Tennessee

• Florida Panhandle and North Florida

• Southern Virginia (select courses)

Beginning in late October through December—depending on cold snaps and sunlight—Bermuda begins losing chlorophyll, thinning out, and settling into a firmer, tighter state that lasts until spring.

And that shift has a huge impact on your wedge play.

📸 Photo 1: Transitioning Bermuda Around the Green

Here you can clearly see the contrasting textures: the bright Bent Grass green versus the tight, drying collar and fairway Bermuda.

How It Affects Your Wedge Shot

Transitioning Bermuda becomes:

• tighter under the ball

• firmer at the base

• less forgiving on slightly heavy strikes

• stickier into the grain, especially around collar areas

Even before full dormancy, Bermuda starts to “grab” the club more aggressively.

Adjustment You Need

• Use a slightly lower-lofted wedge (49°–55°) for bump-and-run style shots.

• Lean the shaft slightly forward to reduce bounce interaction.

• Keep your motion rotational, not wristy.

• Favor a shorter landing spot because the ball releases more.

📸 Photo 2: Fully Dormant Fairway and Green Complex

This is classic winter Bermuda: uniform straw color, firm lies, and far less cushion beneath the ball.

How It Affects Your Wedge Shot

Dormant Bermuda:

• exposes the ball more, sitting on very tight lies

• reduces the turf cushion, making fat shots extremely punishing

• creates lower friction, reducing spin unless contact is crisp

• demands clean entry—no digging

Adjustment You Need

• Think clip, not dig. Your bounce will help you, but only with a shallow delivery.

• Use a more neutral shaft lean for standard pitches to avoid leading-edge digging.

• Consider landing the ball farther onto the green—less spin = more rollout.

• For high soft shots, commit fully; tentative swings get punished.

📸 Photo 3: Fairway With Winter Rollout and Bare Spots

This is a great example of a winter fairway lie that changes both your full swing and wedge game.

How It Affects Your Wedge Shot

• Contact is much more precise—no margin for error.

• Ball tends to sit down slightly in the sparse turf.

• Chip shots roll out significantly more.

• High-loft wedges require clean, committed technique.

Adjustment You Need

• Use your gap wedge or sand wedge for most greenside shots—more predictable contact.

• Play the ball slightly farther back to ensure a clean strike.

• Expect less spin and plan for more run-out.

• Into-the-grain shots require a more descending strike to avoid the club stalling.

🧠 Understanding Grain on Dormant Bermuda

Even in winter, grain still matters, but its visual clues change.

• Down-grain: grass looks lighter, shinier → ball releases more.

• Into-grain: grass looks darker → club resists the turf → ball launches softer.

Rule of Thumb:
💡 If it looks darker, play it lower and more conservative. If it looks lighter, land it shorter and let it release.

🏌️ Which Wedges Work Best on Dormant Bermuda?

Without mentioning specific brands or promoting sales, here’s the truth:

Dormant Bermuda rewards wedges with:

• a versatile sole

• mid to slight bounce depending on your delivery

• a higher center of gravity for more spin on tight lies

• forgiving mass placement for mishit protection

If your wedges struggle on tight quarters, it’s usually a sign the sole or bounce profile isn’t matching the turf conditions.  That's why the Edison 2.0 wedge could be the perfect wedge for you!

🔑 Key Takeaway

Bermuda’s shift from lush to dormant doesn’t just change color—it changes how every shot behaves.
Firmness, grain, friction, and cushion all drop through the winter months, and your technique needs to adapt to stay confident inside the scoring zone.

When the turf gets tighter:

• play the ball back slightly

• keep the motion shallow

• expect more rollout

• choose the shot with the highest margin for error

Master dormant Bermuda, and your winter short game will become one of your biggest scoring strengths.