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Types of Grasses on Golf Courses
Types of Grasses on Golf Courses
The type of grass used on a golf course significantly impacts the course's playability, appearance, and maintenance requirements. Turf managers choose grasses based on the local climate, the specific area of the course (e.g., greens, fairways, roughs), and desired playing conditions.
Warm-Season Grasses
Warm-season grasses thrive in tropical, subtropical, and transition zone climates. They grow actively when temperatures are between 80 and 95°F (27 and 35°C) and go dormant in the winter, often turning brown.
|
Grass Name |
Typical Use |
Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
|
Bermuda Grass |
Greens, Fairways, Tees |
Dense, durable, fast recovery, needs high maintenance |
|
Zoysia Grass |
Fairways, Tees, Roughs |
Good shade tolerance, drought tolerant, fine texture |
|
Paspalum (Seashore Paspalum) |
Fairways, Greens (coastal) |
Tolerates salt and poor water quality, deep green color |
|
St. Augustine Grass |
Roughs (rarely) |
Coarse texture, good shade tolerance, poor traffic tolerance |
Cool-Season Grasses
Cool-season grasses are suited for temperate climates and grow best when temperatures are between 60 and 75°F (15 and 24°C). They remain green year-round in most suitable climates.
|
Grass Name |
Typical Use |
Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
|
Bentgrass (Creeping Bentgrass) |
Greens, Fairways |
Exceptionally fine texture, allows for low mowing heights, needs intensive management |
|
Kentucky Bluegrass |
Fairways, Tees, Roughs |
Excellent color, forms a dense, strong turf, spreads by rhizomes |
|
Ryegrass (Perennial Ryegrass) |
Fairways, Overseeding |
Quick germination, good wear resistance, often used to overseed dormant warm-season grass |
|
Fescue (Fine and Tall) |
Roughs, Low-Maintenance Areas |
High shade tolerance, deep roots (Tall), fine texture (Fine) |
Grass Selection by Area
Different areas of the golf course require grasses with specific characteristics to optimize play.
Greens
Greens demand grasses that tolerate extremely low mowing heights, provide a smooth, true surface for putting, and recover quickly from damage.
- Cool-Season: Bentgrass is the standard.
- Warm-Season: Ultra-dwarf Bermuda grasses are popular.
Fairways and Tees
These areas need turf that is dense, wear-resistant, and visually appealing.
- Cool-Season: Kentucky Bluegrass and Perennial Ryegrass blends are common.
- Warm-Season: Bermuda Grass and Zoysia Grass are widely used.
Roughs
The rough is intended to penalize errant shots, so the grass here is often allowed to grow longer and may be coarser or less dense than the fairway.
- Cool-Season: Tall Fescue or common varieties of Bluegrass.
- Warm-Season: Common Bermuda or Zoysia.
