Golf Greens Grass Species

For a fine surface, with lower fertiliser and irrigation inputs then a traditional red fescue (Chewings Fescue and Slender Creeping Red Fescue) and browntop bentgrass surface is desirable. In practice, a gradual increase in annual meadow grass is routinely seen. This is the result of a range of interactions, especially:

• incorrect irrigation practices.

• over application of fertilisers.

• incorrect nutrient inputs from fertilisers, especially over application of phosphate.

• fertiliser applications being undertaken at times of the year which encourage excessive leaf growth to the detriment of root growth and also encourage susceptibility to disease, especially fusarium patch disease.

• incorrect mowing practices, including mowing too short – routinely below 5mm, and infrequent mowing intervals where greater than 1/3rd of leaf height is removed during a cut.

• inadequate and/or ineffective scarification to keep a surface with minimal thatch content.

• inadequate aeration practices.

Some fine leaved cultivars of perennial ryegrass have been bred which are sold as being suitable for use on golf greens, and photographs of the fine turf areas certainly look impressive and persuasive. The main issues of their use revolve round the species having different growth patterns to red fescue and browntop bents, different nutritional and irrigation requirements, less acidic soil conditions (which makes the situation more suitable for annual meadow grass invasion), increased mowing requirements, and the need to routinely provide a clean sharp cut, especially during moist weather.

It is important to weigh up the impacts of introducing perennial ryegrass cultivars within such fine turf situations to determine the perceived benefits versus the perceived limitations and disadvantages. If sustainability (which includes a focus on reducing resource inputs) is an important requirement for a golf course or club, then the use of perennial ryegrass, at the current time, is actually highly questionable, however, where greens are maintained to a basic quality level for introducing people to golf and with high usage, then this may not be such an issue.

If dwarf cultivars of perennial ryegrass are to be considered then getting objective data on sward and playing performance, as well as maintenance inputs over several years would be helpful in being able to make better informed decisions on the use of these fine leaved dwarf perennial ryegrasses. Trialling these on a practice green or similar might be desirable if the decision was to consider moving away from the traditional fine turf grasses, although this should not be taken lightly and would not normally be recommended in the majority of cases.
Creeping bentgrass is also sometimes used, especially on some sand-based greens, although maintenance inputs will be higher than with the typical fine fescue and browntop bent cultivars.