Paspalum grass in fairways

[Rob Marshall]

Is there a grass where the ball sits up better than paspalum? Played The Rookery at Marco the last two days and it’s almost impossible to hit a bad iron shot off it. It’s soft down here so there isn’t much, if any roll. Playing a little long but these fairways are perfect. Not a fan of it on the greens but fairways I’ll take it all day.

[Tim Martin]

Almost Impossible to hit a poor shot off paspalum? I get the point you are trying to make but c’mon.

[Wayne_Kozun]

it’s almost impossible to hit a bad iron shot off it.

I will accept that challenge.

[Rob Marshall]

Almost Impossible to hit a poor shot off paspalum? I get the point you are trying to make but c’mon.

I know but it’s almost like the ball is on a tee. Trade off is not much roll when it’s wet. Shot that kills me in Florida is a 40 yard pitch off wet grainy bermuda. No issues off this stuff…..

[Tim Martin]

Almost Impossible to hit a poor shot off paspalum? I get the point you are trying to make but c’mon.

I know but it’s almost like the ball is on a tee. Trade off is not much roll when it’s wet. Shot that kills me in Florida is a 40 yard pitch off wet grainy bermuda. No issues off this stuff…..

Rob-Enjoy the golf!

[John Foley]

Zoysia is pretty good at that also.

[Ed Galbavy]

I'm not a big fan of paspalum.  It is a good surface for the coastal south.  The ball does sit up well in the fairway.  however, I feel like it is a sticky grass that the ball will tend to check up more on for hitting pitch shots.  I have a hard time figuring out grain with it.  People tell me that there is no grain with paspalum, but I beg to differ

[Rob Marshall]

Almost Impossible to hit a poor shot off paspalum? I get the point you are trying to make but c’mon.

I know but it’s almost like the ball is on a tee. Trade off is not much roll when it’s wet. Shot that kills me in Florida is a 40 yard pitch off wet grainy bermuda. No issues off this stuff…..

Rob-Enjoy the golf!

Will do!

[Ken Moum]

I agree with Foley. Zoysia, at least the way it's usually managed, holds a ball up like nothing I've seen.


The problem is that it absolutely kills roll and is almost impossible to hit a little chip and run shot on.  I have seen it cut down tight enough that it plays fine but that eliminates the lies that allow people to scoop a three wood into the air.


When I played it a lot in Kansas, I was using a remote-controlled trolley and my battery would be so low coming off the 18th I had to help it across the parking lot. I played 27 holes on the same battery at my home course without a problem.

[Anthony_Nysse]

It's very fair to think that courses that are utilizing paspalum are for reasons outside of any playability characteristics.

  More often than not, it's for the aesthetics or environmental reasons. Aesthetics reasons would include membership built on a different definition of enjoyment, home sales & gated community presence. Environmental reasons being saltwater intrusion, brackish (reclaim) water source and/or even soil conditions.

[Rob Marshall]

It's very fair to think that courses that are utilizing paspalum are for reasons outside of any playability characteristics.

  More often than not, it's for the aesthetics or environmental reasons. Aesthetics reasons would include membership built on a different definition of enjoyment, home sales & gated community presence. Environmental reasons being saltwater intrusion, brackish (reclaim) water source and/or even soil conditions.

Anthony, Environmental reason for sure at the Rookery. Brackish water and hurricane flooding are potential problem for sure.


Other interesting thing I see at almost every course I playi in Florida is the fight against what looks like a crabgrass that seems to jump into everything including the edges of the greens. I talked to the Super while I was playing yesterday and they are spraying it and will actually cut it out and plant sod in some area's. He told me what it was but I can't remember the name.

[Anthony_Nysse]

It's very fair to think that courses that are utilizing paspalum are for reasons outside of any playability characteristics.

  More often than not, it's for the aesthetics or environmental reasons. Aesthetics reasons would include membership built on a different definition of enjoyment, home sales & gated community presence. Environmental reasons being saltwater intrusion, brackish (reclaim) water source and/or even soil conditions.

Anthony, Environmental reason for sure at the Rookery. Brackish water and hurricane flooding are potential problem for sure.


Other interesting thing I see at almost every course I playi in Florida is the fight against what looks like a crabgrass that seems to jump into everything including the edges of the greens. I talked to the Super while I was playing yesterday and they are spraying it and will actually cut it out and plant sod in some area's. He told me what it was but I can't remember the name.

Any weed, including grassy ones can be taken out with heavy doses of table salt. I used to walk out of Publix with every 26oz salt container they had. Its the cheapest, most effective way to keep paspalum clean. 24-36 hours & its gone.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I played Paspalum in Hawaii, and the ball gladly bounded down the fairway. I played it in Florida, and the ball joyfully stopped quickly. I don't know if it had to do with location or maintenance practices. It is a joy to hit off of, even my three-wood. I like Zoysia, but it seems sticky, so the ball does not run as happily.