The Type of Grass on Golf Greens and What It Means for You
When you’re out on the golf course, you’re surrounded by nature. The trees, views, and wildlife add a dimension to golf that few other sports can provide. However, you probably aren’t always thinking about what type of grass is under your feet, especially when you’re on the putting green.
But one thing is for sure—the type of grass on golf greens makes a huge difference in the speed, lie, and strategy of golfers, regardless of their skill level. So whether you want to impress your fellow golfing buddies, learn more about the greenskeeping of courses, or just add another element to your game, here are the types of grasses you’ll find out on the green.
The Most Popular Types of Grass on Golf Greens
The types of golf course grass vary from place to place, but acquainting yourself with the various kinds can make a drastic impact on your putts. From the best par-3 courses to Augusta, knowing what grass lies on the green is every bit as crucial as reading the green itself.
As they say about real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. The same goes for greens. In almost all cases, you’ll find a different type of grass on golf greens based on weather, growing season, and maintenance. Let’s take a look at some of the most common ones.
Bermudagrass
Perhaps the most popular type of grass on golf greens and fairways is bermudagrass—and with good reason. Also known as bermuda, bermudagrass is a drought-tolerant, fast-growing turfgrass that has the durability, longevity, and versatility that makes it an unparalleled option for golf courses, even in the most scorching weather conditions.
Used in Southern climates with extreme heat—particularly in Florida, Georgia, and Texas—bermudagrass repairs itself quickly from divots, has drought resistance unseen in other grasses, and doesn’t seem bothered by mowing, even to the short lengths you find on the green.
In colder climates, bermudagrass may look unsightly as it goes dormant and turns a dead, brown color. However, this is just how the grass naturally reacts to dipping temperatures. Most groundskeepers overseed bermudagrass with perennial ryegrass during winter, helping it to grow back thicker and fuller with a deep root system.
How It Plays
Despite its popularity, bermudagrass isn’t something that most amateur golfers consider. Nevertheless, understanding how it plays can make a huge difference, whether you play with a mallet or blade putter.
In general, bermudagrass plays slower than other types of grass on golf greens due to its thicker blades, such as annual bluegrass, bent grass, or poa annua grass. Bermudagrass also has less break, so you shouldn’t overcompensate on slopes when you’re reading the green.
Another interesting factor that you should contemplate is the grain of the grass. Bermudagrass tends to impact the path of the golf ball just by how the grain bends. One important factor in the grain is the direction of the sun. This warm-season grass will almost exclusively grow toward the west, so knowing where the sun sets is crucial to navigating a bermudagrass putting surface.
Bentgrass
If you live in a colder climate or coastal region outside of the American South, chances are the type of grass on golf greens in your area is bentgrass. Also known as creeping bentgrass, this is the preferred grass on golf courses in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast.
Because it’s a cool-season grass, bentgrass tends to thrive in spring and fall, but it often struggles when temperatures get too hot. In sweltering heat, bentgrass greens require a ton of water, so that’s something that you need to look out for when you’re practicing your putts or when you’re on the green itself.
In some cases, golf course superintendents at more expensive country clubs will even install cooling systems underneath the green, tee boxes, fairways, and other places where bentgrass grows to keep it green and healthy during summer amid heavy traffic.
How It Plays
Due to its smaller blades, bentgrass plays much more quickly than bermudagrass. However, it lacks the grain that bermudagrass has, so it’s much easier to read putts, and you don’t have to worry about the ball rolling slightly askew from your intended putting path.
As mentioned above, bentgrass requires quite a bit of water, so the green can often become soggy and slow during summer. However, many golf experts and PGA players like to putt on bentgrass during summer when it’s slightly stressed, as it slows the ball a bit and provides an improved playing surface for even the most difficult putts.
It’s important to note that bentgrass is particularly problematic off the green. If the golf course uses bentgrass as part of its light or deep rough, hitting the ball out of the rough requires you to grip the club tighter, open the face, and hit harder than you would in other types of grasses.
Poa Annua
Used at famed golf clubs such as Torrey Pines, poa annua is a versatile type of grass on golf greens. While it’s found more often in cold climates than warm climates, you can often see it on golf courses that have a larger groundskeeping budget—that is to say, it takes a ton of upkeep to maintain it.
A shallow root system means that poa annua is finicky in extreme temperatures or temperature changes. It’s also a bit thicker than most other types of grasses, which can impact playability and slow the ball down. Mowers that cut the grass too low risk killing the grass, and an overhaul of the green, including uprooting the dead grass, aerating, and putting down new grass seed is mandatory.
The good news is that poa annua is one of the fastest-growing grasses on the planet—so much in fact that it can change the speed of the green and trajectory of the ball over the course of one day.
How It Plays
PGA pros like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson love poa annua, but that’s almost entirely due to playing on it as youth golfers. Ask other golfers of any level, and you’ll probably get a 50/50 split of love and hatred for it.
The reason behind the love-hate relationship with poa annua is due to its tremendous growth rate. Greens tend to get bumpy over the course of the day, so don’t expect the first hole to play like the 18th.
When playing on poa annua, note that the ball rolls further on downhill putts, but it’s markedly slower on uphill putts. Use your inner caddie to figure out how to read the green, and don’t assume anything when you’re playing on poa annua.
Ryegrass
Popular in moderate climates, ryegrass is more often found on the fairway than the green. However, geographic locations that don’t have temperature extremes use this type of grass on golf greens because of its easy maintenance and stunning look. Freezing temperatures or scorching temps can cause a headache for maintenance crews though—ryegrass can die quickly and without much warning.
More than any other grass, rye is an excellent grass for overseeding, which can thicken up the green during summer or when traffic is higher during peak season.
How It Plays
Ryegrass is a straightforward putting surface that has an average green speed and doesn’t cause the golf ball to change directions or trajectory. It’s a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” type of grass on the golf green. Don’t overthink it.
Zoysia Grass
Zoysia has been a popular grass for fairways for decades, but it’s never really been regarded as a great grass for the green—until now. In 2018, researchers at Texas A&M University developed a new type of zoysia grass hybrid that’s expected to take the golfing world by storm.
The main reason behind the popularity of zoysia is that it’s durable and requires far less maintenance than almost any other type of grass. It requires less water and nutrients, and it’s naturally resistant to insects and diseases.
Add that same idea to the green—which is the most labor-intensive part of the course—and it’s a recipe for success.
How It Plays
Although this grass isn’t common on greens, it’s important to note that the Texas A&M study showed that the ball rolled similarly on zoysia compared to other types of grass on golf greens.
You’ll have to use your own powers of intuition to successfully navigate this type of green if you come across it, but assume that it plays most similarly to bermudagrass. In this scenario, getting out on the practice green can pay dividends once you get on the course.
Mastering Any Type of Grass on Golf Greens
If you want to avoid the dreaded three-putt and start sinking your birdie and par putts with regularity, practice is essential. An office putting green affords the opportunity to fine-tune your putt when you can’t get out on the course, but nothing beats hitting the practice green in person.
More importantly, you should always take a look at the type of grasses you’ll be playing on. Some courses may have that information on the scorecard, but you may have to ask at the clubhouse. But don’t avoid asking. It could mean the difference between a great day on the course and utter frustration.
