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TURFGRASSES OF NORTHEAST GOLF
COURSES
• 40 + species of grasses used in lawns,
athletic fields, and golf courses.
• Most are not natives of U.S.
• Grasses categorized by:
a) Genus ie. Poa (Bluegrass)
b) Species ie. pratensis (Kentucky Bluegrass)
c) Cultivar i.e. Midnight (Hybrid)
Tiller
Kentucky bluegrass
extensive rhizomes
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Stolons
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Consider the following when selecting a
turfgrass:
1. Use i.e. sport or aesthetics
2. Level of maintenance
3. Climatic conditions
4. Soil conditions (including pH)
5. Microenvironments – shade, wet etc.
6. Disease resistance
7. Drought resistance
8. Color
9. Growth habit
10. Desired Height of Cut (H.O.C.)
Climate and Grass Adaptation
Climate Zone Map
Turfgrass Species Utilized or found on
Cool Season Golf Courses
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Golf Course Areas Planted to Turfgrass
• Greens
• Tees
• Fairways
• Clubhouse lawns
• Roughs/surrounds
• Out of play areas
• Naturalized areas
• Driving range/tees
Turfgrass Species Utilized or found on
Cool Season Golf Courses
• Bluegrasses
• K.B., Rough, Canada, annual
• Ryegrasses
• perennial, annual
• Bentgrasses
• velvet, creeping, colonial
• Fescues
• fine leaf
• tall
• Niche grasses
Turfgrass Species Utilized or found on Cool Season Golf Courses cont.
Bluegrasses- Four common species of
Bluegrasses of cool humid climates are:
•Kentucky Bluegrass - Poa pretensis
•Rough Bluegrass - Poa trivialis
•Canada bluegrass - Poa compressa
•Annual Bluegrass - Poa annua
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Kentucky bluegrass-Poa pretensis-
• Boat Shaped tip
• H.O.C. 0.5-2”
• Medium/fine texture
• Rhizomes
• Full sun
• Newer cultivars shade
tolerance
• Medium/high mgmt
• High nitrogen needs
• pH 6-7
• Irrigation required
• Propagated by seed or sod
• Popular in 60's and 70's
• Use - roughs, tees, fairways
• Popularity for fairway and tee use declined
in late 70's-90's
• Decline related to:
• slow establishment rate
• demand for lower cut fairway and tee turf
• disease problems
• New varieties (cultivars) heights of 1/2"
Pros:
• Color
• Density
• Gray leafspot resistance
• Exhibits some drought tolerance
• Fall color retention
•Early spring green-up
Cons:
• Very slow establishment rate
• Height of cut (new varieties available)
• Prone to leaf spot disease (check for
resistant varieties)
• Thatch production
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Kentucky bluegrass continued:
• Good wear tolerance
• Good recuperative
potential
•Excellent color
Possible K.B. locations on golf course
• Fairways (low cut cultivars)
• Tees (low cut cultivars)
• Tee and Green Surrounds
• Roughs
• Clubhouse lawns
Roughstalk Bluegrass-Poa trivialis
• Height of cut .5-2'' Finer texture than KB
• pH 6-7
• Stolons
• Greenish-yellow in
color
• Thrives best in shaded
moist environment
• Shallow roots
• 3-4lbs.
nitrogen/1000sq.'/year
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Poa trivialis continued:
Characteristics /uses
• Grows well in shaded moist environments
• Used in overseed mixtures in south
• Propagated by seed
• Good to use in a mix on tees in shaded
moist environments
Cons:
• color
• shallow root system
• subject to disease
• poor wear tolerance
• poor drought tolerance
Canada bluegrass- Poa compressa
• Height of cut-3-4"
• pH 5.5 - 6.5
• 2-3lbs. N/year
• weakly Rhizomatous
• Stolons absent
Canada bluegrass- Poa compressa continued:
Pros:
• Drought and shade tolerance good
• Wear tolerance good
• Tolerates infertile and poorly drained tur
Cons:
• Disease susceptible
• Stemmy looking in nature
• Low density turf
• H.O.C. 3-4"
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Annual Bluegrass- Poa annua
Characteristics:
• Considered a weed
• Bunch type grass
• Boat shaped tip
• Yellowish in color
• Survives low h.o.c.
• pH 5.5-6.5
• 3-4 lbs. N/year
• Perennial form id
with stolons
Poa annua facts:
• invades turf in thin areas of grass stands
• invades turf in wet compacted conditions
• prolific seed producer (month of May)
• can survive low h.o.c. at greens height
Poa annua continued:
CONS:
• Short root system
• Susceptible disease
• Fades out in the summer months
• Poor heat and drought tolerance
• Poor color (yellowish)
• Seeds profusely leading to:
• poor fairway lies
• slow putting green speeds
• “untrue” putting surfaces.
• Susceptible to winter injury
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Annual bluegrass weevil
Ice damage
Summer patch Anthracnose
Bacterial Wilt
Annual bluegrass in
Putting green
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Poa annua continued:
Poa annua has some desirable characteristics
1) Being competitive
2) Growing in compacted conditions
3) Provides a good putting surface (when not
seeding)
Universities (Penn State) trying to produce
cultivars of Poa annua.
• Example Poa supina
•very aggressive
•thrives in shade
•compacted conditions
PSU breeding program selecting putting
green annual bluegrass ecotypes
David Huff PHD
PSU
Bentgrasses- genus Agrostis
USES:
Tennis- Pt. Judith G.C.
Lawn Bowling
fairways
Greens
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Bentgrasses continued:
• Primarily in the cool humid areas as
well as transitional climates
• Most tolerant cool season grasses of
close mowing
• Fine textured and form a very dense
turf
• Grow best in moist conditions
• Have excellent winter hardiness
• Usually last to green up
Bentgrasses continued:
Three species discussed
1. Creeping Bentgrass- Agrostis palustris
• Most common variety used on golf greens
• 2 to 6 lbs. N/season
• Root System shallow to medium (2"-8")
• Shade tolerance
medium,does best
in full sun
Creeping Bentgrass continued:
• Wear tolerance poor
• Does not grow well in compacted conditions.
• Propagation by seed or stolons
• Vertical mowing-responds well
• Varieties
• Old varieties subject to grain
• “grandfather” of modern creeping
bentgrass breeding = Penncross
• New varieties
• More aggressive
• Grow more erect
• Can be cut to 1/8”
• Higher Density
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New and Improved Cultivars
New cultivars increase in density
Turfgrass Trends November 2004 (Doug Brede)
Shoot Density
T-1 Penn A-4 Penncross Poa annua
Turfgrass Trends November 2004 (Doug Brede)
Newer Cultivar Uses and Characteristics
A and G varieties
• Basically greens use only
• Low height of cut 1/8” or less
• Aggressive maintenance practices
required
• Produce fast “grainless” putting surfaces
• Deep root systems
• Improved disease tolerance
• Fine texture
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Newer Cultivar Uses and Characteristics:
L-93
• Improved disease tolerance
• Moderate to high density
• Less management needed (topdressing,
aeration, etc) due to less thatch when
compared to the more aggressive varieties
Crenshaw
• High heat tolerance but prone to dollar
spot
Newer Cultivar Uses and Characteristics:
Providence
• Good performance characteristics
• Good tolerance to diseases
SR1119
• Good color
• Good texture
• Good disease resistance
Newer Cultivar Uses and Characteristics:
Other improved varieties Include:
• Putter
• Trueline
• Backspin
• Viper
• Cato
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New varieties continued:
Improved disease performance
Turfgrass Trends January 2005 (Dan Dinelli)
2. Colonial Bentgrass-Agrostis tenuis
• Propagation by seed
• Nitrogen 2 to 4 lbs n/1000sq'/season.
• Shade tolerance is medium.
• Heat and drought tolerance not as good
as creeping bentgrass.
• Wear Tolerance is poor
• Stolons and Rhizomes absent to very
short.
Colonial Bentgrass continued:
Other characteristics and uses:
•Colonial bentgrass not often used in golf
greens
•Used in tee and fairway mixes
•Aggressive and can become dominant and
segregate in polystands
•Susceptible to thatch at high mowing
heights
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Colonial Bentgrass Fairway
3. Velvet Bentgrasses- Agrostis canina
• Texture-one of the finest textured turf
• Growth Habit-very erect
• Velvet is more aggressive than colonial but not as
aggressive as creeping bentgrass.
• Nitrogen-1-3 lbs. N/year.
• Shade Tolerance is good
Greenwich Velvet bentgrass, Shelter Harbor C.C. 2005
High Density Fine Texture Turf
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Other characteristics and uses:
• Bentgrass forms a beautiful fine textured turf
• Extremely slow to heal from injury and disease.
Velvet prone to thatch Susceptible to iron
(topdress frequently) chlorosis
4. South German Mixed Bentgrass
• Many of the older golf courses seeded with South
German Mixed Bentgrass.
•Mixes consisted of :
• 40-60% colonial bentgrass
• 5-40% velvet bentgrass
• 5-15% redtop
• 1-5% creeping bentgrass
South German Mixed greens tend to look mottled in
appearance due to the different textures.
Fescues-genus Festuca
•Fescues over 100 species
•Common species used in
fine turf:
•Fine leaf fescues
• Red fescue (Festuca
rubra)
•Chewings fescue
(Festuca rubra var.
commutata).
•Tall Fescue (Festuca
arundinacea) which is used
in roughs.
Fescues tolerate:droughty, infertile soils,acidic soils
pH 5.5-6.5
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Fine-leaf Fescues
Creeping red
Chewings
Hard
Sheep
Creeping red fescue Festuca rubra
Uses
• Lawn mixtures with
Kentucky bluegrass
perennial ryegrass.
• Parks
• Golf course
• roughs
• Fairways
• Cemeteries
• Roadsides
Creeping red fescue and chewings fescue
• Propagated from seed
• Demonstrates shade tolerance
• Does best in low nitrogen environments
• Creeping red fescue rhizomes
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Chewings fescue:
• Lacks rhizomes, is bunch type
• Fine needle like leaf blades(rolled)
• Establishment rate is faster than K.B.
but slower than Rye.
• Slow recuperative potential
• 1-2" height of cut
Cultivars are: Jamestown II, Banner III,
SR5100
Coppinwood Toronto
Tom Fazio Desin
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Tall Fescue -Festuca arundinacea
• Old varieties of tall fescue were poor
• New varieties of tall fescue (Turf type)
provide nice turf cover
• Turf Type tall fescues used for roughs, tee,
green surrounds
Tall Fescue continued:
• Drought tolerance-excellent
• pH-5.5-6.5
• Nitrogen 3lbs./yr.
• H.O.C.- best at 2-3"
• Leaf width-much wider then fine fescue
• Shade Tolerance-intermediate
• Wear tolerance- excellent
• Propagation-seed
Photo-Oregon tall fescue Commission
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Tall Fescue - 2 lbs N per 1,000 ft2 per year
Ryegrasses-Species Lolium
Two ryegrasses: perennial and annual
Perennial Ryegrass-Lolium perenne
Most widely used Rye
Uses:
•tees
•fairways
•lawn mixes
•roughs
•parks
•roadsides
•Southern overseeding programs
•Dark green color
•Propagation-seed
•Germination 5 to 7 days.
•H.O.C.- 0.5-2''
•High N levels 4-6lb./year.
•pH-6-7
•“Tight” turf
•Blends well with bluegrasses
•Susceptible to winter injury poor low
temperature hardiness
•Prone to pythium ,brown patch, and gray
leafspot
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Perennial Ryegrass continued:
Annual Ryegrass-Lolium Multiflorum
•life cycle in one year
•Poor low temperature hardiness.
•adapted to moist fertile soils
•pH of 6-7
•germinates quickly
USES:
•"quick fix"
•nurse grass
•used in mixes quick stabilization is needed.
•READ the label when buying seed
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Other Grasses
• Sheep fescue
• Hard fescue
Uses -
Naturalized areas, roadsides,
roughs, soil conservation,
cemeteries, low maintenance turf
areas, erosion control
Chewings and sheep fescue
Riparian zone restoration
Native Grasses:
•Little bluestem
•Switchgrass
•Blue grama
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Bentgrasses- genus Agrostis
Two species that may be found in home lawns:
(Weed in home lawns)
1. Creeping Bentgrass- Agrostis palustris
2. Colonial Bentgrass-Agrostis tenuis
Bentgrasses
Sheep fescue/Hardfescue/Canada Bluegrass
Bluegrasses/turf type tall fescue/ Ryegrass
What’s in store for the future?
• Increasing trend on naturalized designs
• Water conservation
• Improved heat and drought tolerance
• Links-style design
• Low input varieties
• Improved pest resistance
Turfgrass Nutrient and Integrated Pest Management Manual
University of Connecticut
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Turfgrass Nutrient and Integrated Pest Management Manual University of
Connecticut
Grass seed mixtures, blends, rates, labels
Grass seed mixtures:
• Two or more different species, ie.Kentucky
bluegrass, Fine fescue and rye grass.
•Mixtures have genetic diversity.
Grass seed blends
• Blends consist of different cultivars of the same
species.ie.Pennlinks, Penncross are both creeping
bentgrasses
Monostand only one cultivar ie. newly planted
green
Polystand- two or more cultivars and/or
species
Why Mixtures or blends?
• “Avoid "disaster”
• Survival of the fittest
• Mixing grasses with similar characteristics
ie. color and growth habit. Example you would
not mix rye and bent.
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Purchasing Grass Seed
Two labels
1) Certified This ensures that the stated variety is
what your getting.
2) Label stating the following:
• Turfgrass type
• Seed lot-states specific lot seed from
• Seed Purity--by weight of seed listed on
label
• Inert Matter-%material i.e. chaff
•Other crop- i.e. fescue in bluegrass mix
•Weed Seed-% weed seed
•Germination %seed that will grow
•Date Tested
•Origin of seed-where seed is from
•Noxious weed content-noxious weeds
vary from state to state
Turf Type
Germination
Purity Origin Grown
% other crop
% inert Date
% weed tested
Seed lot
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Useful when turf manager or golf course
designer or architect needs to specify
varieties or cultivars
www.ntep.org
NTEP On-Site Evaluation of
Creeping bentgrass for putting greens
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LSD value
LSD value
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Mean Turfgrass (overall) Quality Ratings by Location
LSD value
How To Use NTEP
Information:
You should use information from a
testing site nearest to your location
Cultivar differences are based on
use of the Least Significant
Difference (LSD) statistic for mean
separation
To determine whether a cultivar's
performance is truly different from another:
subtract one entry's mean from another
entry's mean.
If the value is Equal or LARGER than the
LSD value, then the observed difference is
Significant and did not happen by chance.
Therefore, the performance of the cultivars
are different.
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For example, is Overall Quality of the
two cultivars “Independence” and
“Kingpin” different at location “NJ1”
1. Use Table 1B data for Mean Turfgrass
Quality Ratings.
2. Find the column for location NJ1.
3. Move down column and find rating for
Independence and Kingpin
Mean Turfgrass Quality Ratings by Location
6.1
4.7
LSD Value
Independence = 6.1
Kingpin = 4.7
LSD = 1
Difference: 6.1 – 4.7 = 1.4
Since 1.4 > LSD (1.0),
The overall mean quality of
Independence is significantly greater
than Kingpin
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Another way to use the Quality Ratings
Data:
• Find the cultivar with the highest mean
quality value
• Subtract the LSD value from the
highest mean quality value
• Mean quality ratings higher than the
resulting number are not significantly
different from the highest rated cultivar
6.8
LSD Value
6.8 highest rank in NJ1
Tyee = 6.8
LSD = 1.0
Difference: 6.8 – 1.0 = 5.8
Therefore, any cultivar with a mean
quality rating > 5.8 is not statistically
different from the cultivar with the
highest mean quality rating
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ESTABLISHMENT
by seed
Best time late summer or early fall:
1) Warm soil temperatures
• Optimum for Rye-50F
• Optimum for Bents-59F
• Optimum for Blues-55-60F
2) Late morning dews keep seed bed
moist
3) Less weed competition
Frost crack seeding
•Performed in spring
•Good soil-seed contact
*note - Seedlings won’t emerge until proper
temperature.
Germination time:
Bentgrasses-7-14 days
Bluegrasses-14 days
Fescues-10-14 days
Ryes- 5-7 days
Seeding Rates lb/1000sq’ Seeds/lb
Kentucky bluegrass 1-1.5 1-1.75 million
Perennial ryegrass 7-9 210- 270,000
C.R. fescue 3.5-4.5 365,000
Chewings fescue 3.5-4.5 450,000
Tall fescue 7-9 178-234,000
Creeping bentgrass .25-1 8 million
Colonial bentgrass .5-1 8 million
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Calculation of pure live seed in a mix
96% pure 90%
Germination
Calculation of pure live seed in a mix:
%germination x %purity x 100.
Example --- Label states:
96% pure live seed
90% germination
THEN:
.96 x .90 x 100 = 86.4% pure live seed
Recommended seeding rate is 6 lbs./1000sq.'
Then divide 6 by 86.4 and multiply by 100
.069 x 100 = 6.9 lbs
Preparing the seed bed
1) Clean site of debris-Remove rocks, stumps,
and kill off existing vegetation
2) Obtain soil test- texture and chemical (can
be done while topsoil is stockpiled)
3) Rough grade site
•involves removal and stockpile of topsoil
•grade subsoil and eliminate depressions
•Slope sub-grade away from play areas
4) Amend topsoil-amend based on soil tests.
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5) Replace topsoil-same grades and
slopes as subsoil -Pack to avoid settling
at every 8-10" depth.
6) Apply fertilizers lime etc. Till in 4-6"
7) Finish Grade - Hand raking and
rolling to provide a smooth seedbed.
8) Apply starter fertilizer 10-10-10 rake
in 1/2"
9) Apply Seed- rake lightly and roll
• Better the soil to seed contact the
better the germination
Types of Seeders
A) Spreaders
Broadcast- rotary type.
• Pros-quick and easy
• Cons-wind carries
seed harder to get
uniform coverage.
Drop spreaders
-Pros- good for
small areas with
borders
- applies precise
application.
-Cons- slow and
can lead to
skips or over lap
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B) Disk Type- (drill or slit seeder)
•Pros- cover large
areas
good soil to seed
contact
•Cons- Difficult on
loose soil (best in
overseed
situations)
Slit with Seed
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C) Cultipacker (Brillion)-Drops seed in bed
and then rolls and firms seed bed. Used on
large areas
D) Hydraulic Seeders-- Spray, seed, and
mulch
Cons- cost
Pros-
•quick
establishment
•good on slope
•retains
moisture
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10) Apply Mulch - (optional)
•aids in germination
•keeps moisture and heat in ground
Types of mulch-
•Straw weed free
•Hay
•Paper- ie. Penn Mulch
Post Care for newly seeded areas
•Water-light and often
•Diseases- Watch for pythium and damping off
•Mowing
-First mowing turf 1/3 taller desired height
-Mow dry
-Collect Clippings
-Use sharp mowers
•Weed Control- Tupersan if needed
•Don't apply herbicides to newly planted turf
without reading label
•Fertilizer-apply light application (1/2 lbN) of soluble
fertilizer 3 wk. after emergence
Sodding
Prepare area to be sodded as you would for seed
bed preparation
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Questions to ask when buying sod:
1) The age of sod-older sod thatch
2) Quality- i.e. density
3) Purity- weeds, undesirable grasses present
4) Height of cut - grown at the sod farm
5) Soil texture sod was grown on
6) Cost- per square foot. Delivery etc.
7) Harvested-Specify that you want sod cut no
more than 12-24 hours before delivery
8) Equipment to move sod on site
Planting (Laying) Sod
1) Firm Bed to reduce foot printing
2) If soil dry wet lightly.
2) Outline area to be sodded.
3) Start laying sod from top of slopes and work
down.
4) Staples where
grades exceed 10%.
5) On bunkers start
sand-soil interface
6) First row straight
and even
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5) keep working soil as you proceed-this will keep
surface level
6) Butt all seems tightly
7) Stagger sod ends for less chance of movement.
Post-care for newly sodded areas
1) Keep sod watered - wilt easily without
roots! Also if sod dries it shrinks.
2) First mowing as needed (Use walkers on
greens and tees)
3) Greens and tees- Topdress frequently to
smooth and accelerate thatch decomposition
4) Aerate and return soil often. This reduces
thatch and aids in smoothing the surface.
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