A golf course is comprised of five major surface features: the teeing ground, the fairway, the water and rough hazards, the green, and the hole. In this article, you’ll learn more about the very distinct feature of a golf course, the green. I chose to discuss the green separately because it is the area that needs special maintenance and which increases a golfer’s game momentum due to its proximity to the hole. It is like the do-or-die spot that golfers need to pay attention to. Also, in this specific are, golfers change their golf club to eponymous flat-faced club that is mainly used to roll the golf ball. Do you perceive now why it is so unique? Let me discuss more.
The green is commonly called the putting green. To “putt” means to struck the ball straight touching the ground toward the hole. There is no trajectory in this practice. The most apparent feature of golf greens is that the grass in this area is cut short and well-maintained. This area seems to look lighter in color than the rest of the golf course due to the reduction of grass surface. It must be clean of shrubby surface in order for the ball to roll smoothly and in long distance toward the hole. However, what makes the golf greens easy to maintain is none other than utilizing the appropriate kind of grass. There are two commonly used best grass for golf greens: the bentgrass and TifDwarf hybrid Bermuda grass.
The bentgrass or Agrostis is a popular choice for lawn grass and golf greens due to its low maintenance element and deep green appearanc. It can mowed very short and can handle foot traffic due to its durability. The irrigation process must be well-kept for 30 to 40 minutes every ten days. It grows from seeds and matures through a shallow root system growing laterally; the reason why its surface is manageable. This kind of grass grows well during the cool season and can withstand mild winter conditions. Meanwhile, the TifDwarf hybrid Bermuda grass is native of countries with warm climates such as in Asia, and Southern and Southwestern United States. Like the bentgrass, Bermuda grows from seeds and requires medium maintenance.
Also, it is drought resistant and salt tolerant. Golf greens made of Bermuda grass require adequate sunlight and airflow, and it’s good to go. However, both kinds of grass have their downsides as well. The bentgrass gets easily infected with weed poa annua while the Bermuda grass is common for grain direction. It is the growth direction of grass blades, which may disrupt the passage of the golf ball. But these problems can be resolved by using herbicides for bentgrass, regular grass contouring for Bermuda grass, and using fungicides for both.