Just imagine playing in a golf course with patchy grass and uneven surfaces, in the event that you have experienced such a course then you know what kind of impact this can have on your game. Sure, when you tee off with great ball skill, then it is possible to work on your handicap.. but a good all-round golf game also assumes other skills. Among those is being able to read the green fast and correctly, getting to know what kind of green it is and what kind of properties it has and how it affects your overall game. Such a talent can enable you to make sure that every game you play, is the same game regardless of the course. Consistency also leads to elevated scales of control and predictability. These two characteristics are the main differences between an amateur and a professional.
Properly taken care of grass provides a smooth roll on the greens, fairways that are consistent and a fair test of ability. However, what is it that makes the grass on the golf course so special compared to the grass in your backyard and what can be done to make the experience of playing golf (or being at home) better through proper maintenance practices?
The Status of Grass in Golf Play
The type and condition of grass contributes immensely to the feeling and playing of a golf course. Varieties of grasses offer various textures, pace, and ball responses. For example:
- Bentgrass: This is commonly found in putting greens and provides a smooth fast surface that allows accurate putting.
- Bermudagrass: This is common in the warmer regions and is very strong but tends to produce more grain thus interfering with the putts.
- Zoysia & Fescue: They are located in fairways and roughs and provide various levels of resistance to the shots.
- A maintained course helps the golfers concentrate on their swing instead of having to deal with patchy lies or unreliable greens.
Mowing & Maintenance: The Key to the Perfect Course
Maintenance of golf course is all about accuracy. Courses are mowed and cared in specialised ways in order to:
- Keep the same green speeds in the fair play.
- Formulate strategic fairway bunkers to provide difficulty.
- Roughs should be kept penalising but fair on wayward shots.
There are also regular programs of aeration, fertilisation and watering to ensure courses are green and playable throughout the year.
And How Knowledge of Golf Course Grass Can Make You A Better Player
Knowledge about the varieties of grass in a golf course would, in fact, enable you to hone your abilities. Here’s how:
- Bentgrass greens are roller and putts can be slowed down by Bermudagrass greens which may also be grainy. This surface variation practice will assist you in reading greens and make the necessary adjustments to your putting stroke.
- Fairway Play: Zoysia grass will give you a firm and tight lie to make crisp iron shots whereas Kikuyu or Bermuda may be spongier and you need to make a cleaner hit. Being aware of the reaction of the ball on various grasses can assist you to have a better ball contact and shot selection.
- Rough Recovery: Tall Fescue and Bluegrass have the ability to seize your clubface, thus causing you trouble in making clean contact. To be a better scrambler, you need to learn to evaluate sketchy situations and make club-selection changes to match.
Begin Doing Grass Experiments
To become a better player, one of the things that you should seriously consider is the grass in courses that you frequent. Take your game to the next level by working on other surfaces so that you have a more balanced game. Even practice chipping in the back yard can be made more effective by simulating the texture of various fairway or rough conditions. Golf is part course management as it is mechanics. The more you learn about the playing surface the more you will improve in terms of being able to adjust your game to suit the conditions.
Credits to the Experts in Lawn Care
Many thanks to Mow It Down who shared their knowledge on the maintenance of grass and its effect on playability. Contact them when you are a golf course manager and you require the services of a professional team to maintain your greens, fairways, and roughs in the best shapes. Properly maintained course does not only appear beautiful, but it also provides golfers with the best experience ever on each hole!