The next time you line up a putt, pay attention to the grass. Get down and look at it. Touch it. Smell it. Listen to it. Dare we say… taste it? All right, so we can’t actually recommend you do any of that but our point is that the type of grass on the green can affect how your ball rolls. Being able to identify what’s between your ball and the hole could be the advantage you need.
Generally, putting greens are covered by one of three grasses: Bermuda grass, bentgrass or Poa annua. Courses in warmer areas, like the southern United States, usually use Bermuda grass while those in cooler places typically plant either creeping bentgrass or Poa, says Jordan Booth, an agronomist and senior director of the US Golf Association’s Green Section.
Courtesy of the USGA
“Without getting deep in the weeds about what the different grasses are and how to see them… if you knew which variety you had, it would impact your short game and putting the most,” Booth says, emphasizing that these impacts will be most pronounced at the highest levels of amateur play and in the professional game.
Just knowing which type of climate you’re playing in and asking the pro shop what kind of grass they use on their greens will go a long way toward helping you identify the turf you’re dealing with. That said, identification gets a little more complicated when you’re playing in Virginia, North Carolina or some other climate transition zone.
Bermuda grass
Courtesy of the USGA
Bermuda grass (genus Cynodon if you want to drop that in casual conversation to psyche out your opponents with your enormous brain) is a tough, versatile plant native to Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia, but not Bermuda. Its dense growth can recover from damage quickly and tolerate droughts, making it a top choice for golf courses and other professional athletic fields in warm locations like Florida and California.


