| The type of grass you play on affects your | | | | grass you?re playing on before starting, as I |
| game. That?s especially true when it comes to | | | | often say in my golf lessons and golf tips, |
| putting, where the type of grass can | | | | can save you strokes. |
| dramatically affect your putts. Knowledge of | | | | |
| how the different types of grass affect your | | | | It?s especially helpful to know the type of |
| game, gained through all your golf lessons, | | | | grass used on the greens. Some of the turf |
| golf tips and personal experience, can help | | | | grasses developed specifically for greens |
| lower golf scores and golf handicaps. | | | | make them fast, especially if the greens are |
| | | | well kept. TifEagle, a Bermuda grass |
| Although every locale is different, there are | | | | developed for putting greens, is a good |
| grasses that can be used on almost on any | | | | example of a turf grass that can be made |
| course. There are also grasses that can be | | | | really fast and thrives under close mowing |
| used only in specific areas of the United | | | | and heat. Greens made with Tifdwarf are also |
| States, like the South. In addition, there | | | | fast but you can?t keep it at the same height |
| are specialized varieties of grass developed | | | | as bentgrass for long before it begins to |
| specifically for putting greens. Known as | | | | thin out. |
| cultivars, these varieties require intensive | | | | |
| maintenance and considerable pesticide and | | | | Grass and the Grain of the Putting Green |
| herbicide maintenance. | | | | |
| | | | Creeping bentgrass is the grass of choice for |
| Types of Grass | | | | putting greens in any climate in which it can |
| | | | be grown. Bentgrass has very thin blades, |
| Bentgrass is a hardy, resilient type of | | | | which grow densely. It can be mowed very |
| grass. Brought to the America from Europe, | | | | closely, resulting in a felt-like smoothness |
| this perennial is used on courses in the | | | | to the putting surface. |
| North, Northeast, and Midwest because it | | | | |
| withstands cool temperatures. Creeping | | | | Hot, humid climates take a toll on bentgrass |
| bentgrass is ideal for greens, fairways, and | | | | greens, so putting quality declines as |
| tees. Colonial bentgrass is better suited for | | | | temperatures rise. Hybrid Bermuda grass is |
| fairways than greens because it?s not well | | | | used for putting greens in warm, humid |
| adapted to lower mowing heights. | | | | regions. It tolerates heat well under low |
| | | | moving heights. |
| Bermuda grass is a textured, fast repairing | | | | |
| grass. Native to Southern Europe, it?s used | | | | The key with any grass, as I?ve pointed out |
| on courses in the South because it withstands | | | | in my golf lessons and golf tips, is |
| heat. It adapts well to low mowing heights | | | | determining which way the grain goes. The |
| and is wearable. Bermuda grass is used for | | | | grain is the direction the blades are growing |
| tees, fairways, and greens. In the cooler | | | | thanks to factors like, the direction of the |
| part of the season, Bermuda grass is | | | | setting sun, prevailing winds, and water |
| overseeded with perennial ryegrass, known for | | | | drainage on the greens. Aside from these |
| its rapid reestablishment, until the Bermuda | | | | identifiers, you can find the grain?s |
| grass recovers from the Winter. | | | | direction by locating the brown, sunburned |
| | | | side of the hole (due to exposed roots). |
| Other types of grass found on golf courses | | | | That?s generally the direction the grass is |
| are Kentucky bluegrass, Zoysia, a warm season | | | | growing. |
| grass, and Bahiagrass, a low maintenance | | | | |
| grass used in roughs. St. Augustine grass, | | | | The grain can affect your putting. Putts |
| native to the Wet Indies, can?t be used as | | | | traveling down-grain will go at a much faster |
| far North as Bermuda grass. Poa anna, a | | | | pace than putts hit into the grain, and |
| bluegrass that thrives in cool and damp | | | | breaking putts will either be magnified or |
| conditions such as northern California, does | | | | reduced by the grain. Applying this |
| well in hot and humid conditions but not in | | | | understanding of grain while on the course |
| cold and freezing temperatures. Pebble Beach, | | | | will allow you to visualize the speed and |
| for example, has poa anna greens. | | | | direction of your putts more precisely, |
| | | | ultimately leading to lower scores and lower |
| How Grass Affects Your Game | | | | golf handicaps. |
| | | | |
| A course?s conditions, which include the type | | | | Now, what I?ve just explained to you should |
| of grass used in the fairways, affects how | | | | help you understand how grass affects your |
| you play. For example, the grass affects how | | | | game, but experience is the best teacher. Be |
| much spin you can put on the ball. You can | | | | aware of the type of grass you?re playing on |
| put more spin on shots hit from Zoysia grass | | | | and keep track of how it affects your game. |
| than Bermuda grass because the ball sits up | | | | Knowing how the grass plays can lower your |
| better. Bentgrass is also better for adding | | | | scores. |
| spin to the ball. Finding out what type of | | | | |