Paspalum

[Mike @ Kiawah]

One of the changes Pete Dye is considering to The Ocean Course next summer (in addition to changing the greens from TifDwarf to TifEagle), is stripping the entire course and resodding it with paspalum, a seashore strain of grass that is very salt and drought tolerant.  When speaking to Ran about this, he questioned how well it plays with a bump-and-run game that is often needed in the winds common at The Ocean Course.  I've read quite a bit about paspalum but I can't find anything on its bump-and-run quality.  Has anyone played on it that can tell us.

(We currently have it on the landing area of No. 2 at The Ocean Course to see how it holds up to cart traffic and the balls seem to bounce out into the dunes and marshes for me quite well, thank you very much...)

[John Morrissett]

Mike--

Paspalum appears to be THE controversy in Hawaii -- some look at as a weed that needs to be removed while others swear by it.  The patches I saw were often the healthiest turf on a hole.  There is at least one course that is wall-to-wall Paspalum (it's on Oahu; I forgot the name) that has had very good reports in terms of low maintenance, low mowing heights, etc.

I'm afraid that the only paspalum I played on was in intended patches of, so unfortunately I can't comment on its firmness.

You might give a call to Larry Gilhuly in our Green Section at (253) 858-2266 as he has some experience with it in Hawaii.

[Mike @ Kiawah]

I spoke to Tom Ramsey on Paspalum and he says that in Australia, it's considered a weed.  But Pete Dye loves it.  From what I get from my reading on it is that there are new strains that are ideal for golf courses (and that there are a number of patent lawsuits on who gets royalties for their development...).

[Dale Wesselman]

I just returned from Hawaii after touring some courses with paspalum. The bump-and-run is pretty much impossible on paspalum approaches and collars. It is very similar to kikuyu in that regard. Several years ago I consulted in southern Africa. While at Royal Harare Golf Club in Zimbabwe, Nick Price commented on how much longer the course played now from when he played it as a youngster because of the kikuyu (it had been bermuda earlier). Tee shots get no roll in the fairways and any approach shot short of the greens usually bounce very softly and stop short. So whoever has played on kikuyu, its the same with paspalum. What's funny is the Superintendent at Kapolei told me that when he has guests out to play, he doesn't tell them anything about the paspalum and usually ends up winning a few bucks off of them.

[Don_Mahaffey]

Mike,
The Karsten Turf Research Center at Univ. of Arizona has some experimental plots of improved varieties of paspalum. I have seen these varieties and they are very similar in texture to Tifgreen 328. The research is being done by Dr. Kopec if you wanted to contact him. I'm sure you are aware of the work done at Univ. of Georgia.
To anyone who hasn't seen the improved varieties, I can assure you that they are nothing like kikuyu. I don't see any reason why fairways planted to the improved varieties would eliminate the ground game anymore than hybrid bermuda fairways. As drough tolerante as paspalum is, it should be able to be kept fairly fast. Good luck.

[Hootie Johnson]

Mr. Dale Wesselman:

What's that you say:  "Tee shots get no roll in the fairways?" Kindly send me over a bunch of that paspalum stuff. We need it for next year's "Tiger-proofing" at Augusta National Golf Club, since after this year we've plum run outta room.

Yours sincerely,

Hootie

[Mike_Young]

Mike,  
I have a new course inCosta Rica that is using it on several areas.  Theimproved grass that UGA developed is working fine for run-ups.  And it is drought tolerant as needed since we have 0 rain for several months a year.  I think it is a faster run up than Zoyzia.  Only concern is the amount of fresh water neede for grow-in vs. amount needed to maintain.

[Dale Wesselman]

I guess it definitely depends on the variety of paspalum and the maintenance practices followed that dictates the playability of the paspalum. My experience with the playing conditions of paspalum turf in Argentina and in Hawaii seemed almost the same. Most of the sprinkler heads in the fairways and the collars were at least 2 inches below the surface because of the developed thatch layer. Perhaps certain varieties have that tendency to thatch up quickly and need more verticutting and topdressing than others. Another thing, many talk about how drought resistant paspalum is when several managers I spoke with felt it was not any more resistant than a cool season turfgrass. I suspect my next trip will be to the test plots at the U. of Arizona to see what is happening there.

[Ward_Peyronnin]

Mike,

Faster runnup than Zoyzia? This grass has ruined my course for the runnup but produced a lush fluffy look. Please say this is not what people are looking at for seaside courses cause I can't stand the proliferation of target golf to a 6900 yard windblown venue.  

[Don_Mahaffey]

Dale,
So far the results from the tests at the U. of A. show that paspalum requires more water than bermuda, but will survive with very poor water quality. The plots are impressive. When I was there, a group of supt. thought it was 328 or another bermuda variety until Dr. Kopec informed us it was paspalum.  

[Paul Turner]

I wonder if Pete Dye has already used this stuff at Casa de Campo?  The front 9 seaside holes in particular must get covered in salt water.  From what I remember that grass (whatever it was) wasn't great for the ground game-too spongey.  

[DNGoldie]

Mike, the paspalum most prevalent in OZ is a weed but it's not the variety your working with. We have a dozen odd courses out here using it, mainly in Western Australia.  The Sea Isle I&II are apparently in quarantine, so we should be seeing it soon.  My reading tells me you can irrigate with sea water(35,000ppm) and it loves it!  I am sure if renovated and maintained a little more vigorously and kept lean you can get the bump and run your looking for.

[Russell]

Coral Creek, a Robin Nelson design on O'ahu uses paspalum exclusively. He used it at the New Ewa Beach course on the greens only.

Part of it's popularity for higher handicappers is that the ball sits up on the fairway. the grain on the putting surface seems less severe than most of the true bermuda greens.

Because it is salt tolerant the whole course can be watered using brackish water rather than fresh, thus reducing maintenance costs.

I play a high ball and found that at this course, the layering on the green is so thin that the ball usually bounces off even if coming in from a steep angle. I'm not sure if that is characteristic of paspalum.