Firm and Fast in the transition zone

[Eric Smith]

Are golf courses able to achieve these conditions with zoysia fairways? Here in TN I've played The Honors maybe 5 times, I don't really remember the conditions there, the zoysia, being fast and firm, or browned out like I read about on here at places like Kingsley, Ballyneal, etc. It has been about 5 years since I last played there.

I know Ryan Blair at Holston Hills keeps that place F/F (bermuda), but I'm really asking specifically about zoysia fairways and tees. Can it be maintained in the transition zone to achieve the playability of the fescues at the above mentioned courses?

[Chris Cupit]

Eric,

I've been a member at the honors since 1991 and if there was ever a dissapointment for me it was the "stickiness" of the zoysia.

To be fair, since the honors was one of the first courses to use zoysia it is an older variey (meyers I think).  The older stuff had a fairly thick leaf blade that the 15 handicapper loved since the ball sat up on a "tee" but it also prevented any type of bump and run shot--I referred to the collars and fairways short of the green as "honors velcro"  The new Diamond zoysia is absolutely fantastic--very fine leaf blade that will play much firmer and faster most of the time.  This as well as other newr zoysias will be sprouting up throughout the transition zone more and more.

[Tim Bert]

I'm licking my chops.  I'm playing the Honors Course for the first time later this summer with a friend, and the discussion here has me smiling.

I love firm and fast when I can get it, but that isn't very common her in middle Tennessee.  When I can't play firm and fast, I love playing on zoysia compared to most of the other fairway grasses in the region.  "15 handicap that loves how the ball gets teed up in the fairway" - guilty as charged!  

The Legends Club here in Nashville has zoysia fairways, at least I think it does, and I've never had a problem running balls up to the greens or putting from off the fringe there.  Does anyone know if this is one of the newer zoysias, or do I just have a different view of what is "bump-and-runnable?"  Maybe it is the fact that it hasn't rained for a month here...  

[Chris Cupit]

Well..... I installed it on my course in Atlanta on my tee boxes and the Atlanta Athletic Club has it on the fairways on the re-(re-re-)designed Highlands course.  

I can't believe I am saying this about grass, but it is awesome!

Given the drought (I am pretty sure Ooltewah is about as starved for water as Atlanta) the course should play firm and fast--at least more so than usual.

They also re-did a few holes that I have not seen this year yet--haven't played there this year

#3 has been lengthened to like 220
#10 the fairway has been shifted right and a new green 55 yards behind the old one was built--490 par 4
Trees ADDED on hole #17 along the left

Anyway--I would normally agree that this is a classic case of toughening up the course for one week at the expense of the membership BUT the purpose of the course (and one I support 1000%)  was to host fine amateur golf events and if the USGA is going to stand still and do nothing re: distance, the only answer is to continually "update/toughen" the course.


Tim,

I like the fairway lies too, just wish it didn't come at the expense of the bump and run