Best faiway grassing to help new or non-proficient golfers

[Pete_Pittock]

I don't know the answer. But it seems to me that public access courses should be planted with grasses (and maintained at a reasonable cut) that let the ball sit up. The sooner these players get positive feedback from good shots, the more likely they will return and return.

[Joe Hancock]

Go to the local course that seems like they have no maintenance budget and play. Their fairways will be tough, firm, mowed at a height that holds the ball up, and probably not as green as you're used to. The grasses aren't always the issue.

[JimB]

I don't know the answer. But it seems to me that public access courses should be planted with grasses (and maintained at a reasonable cut) that let the ball sit up. The sooner these players get positive feedback from good shots, the more likely they will return and return.

Kikuyu

[Carl Rogers]

Zoysia... or so I have heard.

[BHoover]

I've heard good things about Pure Distinction, but admittedly, I haven't had the pleasure of playing on it.

[Anthony_Nysse]

I've heard good things about Pure Distinction, but admittedly, I haven't had the pleasure of playing on it.

Has PD made it to fairways?

[BHoover]

I've heard good things about Pure Distinction, but admittedly, I haven't had the pleasure of playing on it.

Has PD made it to fairways?

I don't know

[BCowan]

I've heard good things about Pure Distinction, but admittedly, I haven't had the pleasure of playing on it.

Has PD made it to fairways?

I don't know

Ur thinking of Pure Select.  PD needs to be cut too short, would be poor fairway selection.  Same breeder did both.  U got the Pure right.


I'm going w flagstick, most dollar resistant and has 10 years in the field for observation

[Tom_Doak]

Isn't this less about species [and name-checking cultivars], and more about height of cut?


Many different kinds of turf grasses thrive when you are cutting them slightly higher than half an inch.

[Sean_A]

Go to the local course that seems like they have no maintenance budget and play. Their fairways will be tough, firm, mowed at a height that holds the ball up, and probably not as green as you're used to. The grasses aren't always the issue.

Cha-ching.

Ciao

[MClutterbuck]

The ball does not sit the same across different species. Fescues will be better than bermudas at low HOC.


Do you help a beginner golfer by teaching him the wrong stroke on high grass? What happens to them when they have the pleasure of playing some of the great Scotland courses and have to adapt from say 20mm (just over 3/4 inch) cut to 9mm (less than 3/8) cut?

[Joe Hancock]

The ball does not sit the same across different species. Fescues will be better than bermudas at low HOC.


Do you help a beginner golfer by teaching him the wrong stroke on high grass? What happens to them when they have the pleasure of playing some of the great Scotland courses and have to adapt from say 20mm (just over 3/4 inch) cut to 9mm (less than 3/8) cut?

You don't worry about that potential what-if....you make sure the new golfer has fun now, then they will want to continue to improve. Too many technicalities can sour the deal.

[Anthony_Nysse]

The ball does not sit the same across different species. Fescues will be better than bermudas at low HOC.

Apparently, you haven't seen some of the newer bermudagrasses. Our members comments that it's like their cool season grasses at their northern clubs.

[RJ_Daley]

The cultivar blend at Wild Horse is the finest combination of firm leaf sheath texture to set up your ball for a bit of a forgiving lie I have ever experienced.  Due to the sand based soil, spectacular turf management of the superintendent, and just the all around climate, I am convinced that it is the best for all level of players.  It runs and bounds much like fescue, IMHO.  In the words of the Superintendent who manages this turf sward"

Josh Mahar:
 We do as Dick states have Midnight, Unique, America, and Liberator with 10% rye at Wild Horse and everyone LOVES it.  I wouldn't do rye again with it but live and learn, but check with your seed guy on varieties-he should know more about them than anyone.
Why are they suddenly "dwarf bluegrasses"??  Just a pet peeve of mine--they are not dwarf--just improved Kentucky bluegrass varities!!
I think fescue in with the bluegrasses at 20-30% would be all right in the blend.   Probably won't help that much as a nurse grass but depends on weather conditions-gives you some genetic variablility in the stand for a while but eventually will play a small role in the overal turf stand I feel.
You can go low with these varieties on good soils--don't be afraid to go lower than you might think possible or have been told!!  (with good soil!)
These varieties do not grow as well as the older varieties of blue during the spring and fall--they really kick in for us in the summer so that may be a consideration for you in Michigan.  Maybe some varieties are "happier" with the normal cool weather growing of yeateryears blues--check with NTEP or your seed guy.  Hope this helps

[Anthony_Nysse]

The cultivar blend at Wild Horse is the finest combination of firm leaf sheath texture to set up your ball for a bit of a forgiving lie I have ever experienced.  Due to the sand based soil, spectacular turf management of the superintendent, and just the all around climate, I am convinced that it is the best for all level of players.  It runs and bounds much like fescue, IMHO.  In the words of the Superintendent who manages this turf sward"

Josh Mahar:
 We do as Dick states have Midnight, Unique, America, and Liberator with 10% rye at Wild Horse and everyone LOVES it.  I wouldn't do rye again with it but live and learn, but check with your seed guy on varieties-he should know more about them than anyone.
Why are they suddenly "dwarf bluegrasses"??  Just a pet peeve of mine--they are not dwarf--just improved Kentucky bluegrass varities!!
I think fescue in with the bluegrasses at 20-30% would be all right in the blend.   Probably won't help that much as a nurse grass but depends on weather conditions-gives you some genetic variablility in the stand for a while but eventually will play a small role in the overal turf stand I feel.
You can go low with these varieties on good soils--don't be afraid to go lower than you might think possible or have been told!!  (with good soil!)
These varieties do not grow as well as the older varieties of blue during the spring and fall--they really kick in for us in the summer so that may be a consideration for you in Michigan.  Maybe some varieties are "happier" with the normal cool weather growing of yeateryears blues--check with NTEP or your seed guy.  Hope this helps

  I would agree with this 100%. These new "low mow" bluegrasses are extremely playable and impressive. Good color, ball sits up well and easier to maintenance than bentgrass. The last courses my father built was grasses with a "low mow" bluegrass and it fit the clientele perfectly.
  Most American's would be turned off to golf if they had to play/learn on a course with no budget was tough, firm and not green. It's not appealing to the learner.

[Richard Hetzel]

It has been a long time since I played on Zoysia fairways. How nice and easy to hit off of they are! The ball sits perfectly. This was a Piney Valley on Fort Leonard Wood yesterday. This course was surprisingly fun too. I really started to enjoy the Zoysia the more I played.


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[A.G._Crockett]

The ball does not sit the same across different species. Fescues will be better than bermudas at low HOC.


Do you help a beginner golfer by teaching him the wrong stroke on high grass? What happens to them when they have the pleasure of playing some of the great Scotland courses and have to adapt from say 20mm (just over 3/4 inch) cut to 9mm (less than 3/8) cut?

You don't worry about that potential what-if....you make sure the new golfer has fun now, then they will want to continue to improve. Too many technicalities can sour the deal.

Correct, which is why a lot of teaching pros have players, even better ones, hit the ball off a very low tee during the lesson.  One thing at a time...