Paspallum-any downsides?

[cary lichtenstein]

I just toured a course that is 100% paspallum. It is still in its grow in stage, but it looked fantastic. The color was a brilliant emerald green, nothing like I have ever seen before.

The tees looked unbelievably tight.

Is this grass as good as the claims they are making about it? Are there any downsides to this grass.

They claim since it is saltwater resistant, if there are weeds or infectations of other grasses, they just douse the area with salt water and it kills any foreign body.

[Brad Klein]

Easy to tend, goes readily dormant at temperatures that are slightly higher than standard Bermudagrass so it is definitely a warm season grass only.

The greens I recently saw with it in Hawaii were grainy, and it tends to proliferate like a very aggressive stoloniferous plant. Good in Hawaii and other coastal areas (Caribbean) with high mineral water and low fertilization needs or concerns about reducing runoff of nutrients.

There are several variants in the works and being deployed now, as I'm sure others will attest.

[A_Clay_Man]

Dr. Klein, Are there any "new" versions of cool season grasses on the horizon?

 I've heard of the low mow blue, but was wondering, if any research is being done along the lines of drought tolerant, or grass that requires less water?

[Greg Holland]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know the grasses used at Augusta?  

[Joe Hancock]

I can't say with 100% authority, but at Augusta it would be:

Greens-creeping bentgrass

Tees, fairways, roughs- Bermudagrass, overseeded heavily with perrenial ryegrass....mowed at different heights, of course!

Joe

[Brad Klein]

(From GCSAA Tournament Fact Sheets)

Augusta National Golf Club

Primary Grasses

Tees: Bermudagrass overseeded with ryegrass
Fairways: Bermudagrass overseeded with ryegrass
Greens: Bentgrass
Rough: Bermudagrass overseeded with ryegrass
 
Average tee size: 600 sq. ft.
Average green size: 6,150 sq. ft.
Sand bunkers: 44
Water hazards: On hole Nos. 2, 11, 12, 13, 15 & 16
Soil conditions: Sand-based tees and clay fairways
Green construction soil mix:
(USGA 90% sand : 10% peat)
Source of water: Raw water from river, course ponds and creeks

[Greg Holland]

thanks for the info guys

[Marc Haring]

The advantages of paspallum are high wear tolerance, good summer colour and consistent density. The disadvantages are long dormant season, a sensitivity to many herbicides and significant thatch and grain accumulation.

Marc

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Easy to tend, goes readily dormant at temperatures that are slightly higher than standard Bermudagrass so it is definitely a warm season grass only.

Greens are very grainy, and it tends to proliferate like a very aggressive stoloniferous plant. Good in Hawaii and other coastal areas (Caribbean) with high mineral water and low fertilization needs or concerns about reducing runoff of nutrients.

This isn't true of all varieties, Brad.  The strain we have on The Ocean Course (OC03) has virtually no grain and goes dormant at a substantially lower temp than Bermuda.  In fact, we're considering not overseeding next year, just getting green tarps for really cold nights starting next year (we had a light Bent overseed last winter).  Right now, we have Paspalum on all of our tees and greens as well 90+ percent of No. 1 fairway and the first 1/3 of No. 2 fairway.  We will eventually convert the entire course to Paspalum.  We haven't found a downside yet...

[A_Clay_Man]

Mike Vegis,
 have you played on KK? Are the stolons super thick, like KK? How long has this plant been on the course (how many generations)?

Sounds Great, if you can avoid all that extra work $$ !

Plus, allowing it to transition naturally, is something a wintertime (any weather) golfer, likely appreciates.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

I've only played on ours (OC03).  Didn't notice thick stolons but I'm haven't been looking and don't have turfgrass education to notice the difference.  Our are putting great but we only put them in last summer.  We've had the tee since the summer of 2002.  

[Eric Johnson]

Mike,

I think Adam is referring to kikuyugrass (KK) Pennisetum clandestinum.  A nasty grass in most places!

[Mitch Hantman]

Mike,

I'm curious about the green speed you can get with the new grass.  Also, is there absolutely no grain with the OC03?

Mitch

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Mike,

I'm curious about the green speed you can get with the new grass.  Also, is there absolutely no grain with the OC03?

Mitch

There's very little grain with ours.  We can cut it down to 1/10 of an inch but never will as getting speeds above 11 or 12 would be counterproductive on The Ocean Course as the winds would be blowing the balls off the greens...

[Mitch Hantman]

Mike,

What green speeds to you currently have there?

[michael j fay]

Question:

If paspallum can be irrigated with salt water is there any problem with the accumulation of salt in the soil underlying the grass?

[Mike_Young]

Michael,
I am using it in Costa Rica and it seems to have an extremely firm texture on the greens..  Yes, the salts build up has to be washed every so often.  As much as you hear of it being watered with Salt water...it still needs fresh water and especially during grow-in
But...we will see much more of this grass

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Mike,

What green speeds to you currently have there?

I would guess around 9ish...  That's one of the things we're doing with the course--keeping it at near tournament conditions year-round to give that experience to our guests.  Let me put it this way, we sell an awful lot of golf balls out there, many at the turn...

[michael j fay]

I must say I am unfamiliar with playing on the grass but I saw a field of it in Boca Grande Florida. The grass seemed sticky, somewhat like the winter rye overseed used in that area. What is the consistancy like?

[ed_getka]

Mike V,
  Any idea what the drive time is from Cuscowilla to your facility?

[Top100Guru]

Ed;

To answer your question...I'd say right at 4 hours

[TEPaul]

Ross's Gulf Stream G.C in Delray Beach Florida went to a few paspallum fairways recently and they look great. Some of the holes on the course are very low and prone to flooding from the inland waterway and obviously some salt conditions have been a problem in the past as the routing is fairly long and narrow (north/south) and the Atlantic is just on the other side. Their paspallum fairways don't appear to have any down side.

[Mike_Young]

TE,

Gulfstream was trying a type of Paspalum back in the 60's before it was thought it would ever work.  I wonder if anyone is still around there that remembers it?

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

Mike V,
  Any idea what the drive time is from Cuscowilla to your facility?

It's around 280 miles or about a 5 hour drive...

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