Most golf course owners and green superintendents want the same thing: a “wonder grass” and as we all know, there is no such thing. The elements can be stressful to the toughest of grasses and no matter how good you are or how hard you try, its always going to be a challenge.
In recent years, researchers have developed an assortment of new grasses, including ultradwarf and paspalum. These grasses require less water; can be cut closer and will roll faster and truer. But like everything else, they come with a price tag. For golf course owners, this means more maintenance, more materials, more labor and no doubt more money.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect to putt on when you play your next round in the Myrtle Beach area. Rest assured that the golf course owners on the Grand Strand are constantly looking at ways to improve your golf outing and will never compromise the quality of your golf experience.
Bentgrass
In the past, a lot of golf courses used Bentgrass. Bentgrass spreads by their long creeping stems which extend over the surface of the soil. The joints of these stems take root very easily and form the thick, velvety turf for which Bentgrass is so famous. Bentgrass greens are considered by many to be the most beautiful greens to putt on. Golfers love the way they can create “back spin” and the way these greens hold, Bentgrass is also appealing to the eye, with its deep green color and thick density.
Champions Bermuda
Is this the best putting surface? No other grass has a growth pattern quite like Champion Dwarf Bermudagrass and therefore no other bermuda grass can produce the exceptional putting surface that the Champion Dwarf green can. Even among the ultradwarf varieties, there is no other grass that generates the incredible ball roll of a well-maintained Champion Dwarf green. Stimp meter tests have proved that Champion Dwarf greens are known to roll at speeds of nearly two feet faster than other ultradwarf varieties.
Tifeagle
Another of the Bermudagrass varieties, Tifeagle has also proven to be a premier putting surface. Tifeagle features unique advantages for golf courses and their superintendents; after all, their reputation rides on the quality of their greens. Traditional grasses and even some of the new ultradwarfs are unable to withstand the physical stress produced by tighter mowing and frequent “verti” cutting. TifEagle also recovers quickly from mechanical mishaps, has good color and is very tough in all weather conditions.
Mini Verde
Mini Verde Bermudagrass has many of the same great benefits as all of the other bermuda grasses. Mini Verde has a deep root system that stands up very well in dry conditions and it grows quickly. Featuring fine leaf blades, short internodes, and high shoot density, it makes for an excellent putting service. Mini Verde is dark green in color and maintains its color even in cooler temperatures and it is a great grass for a faster and more consistent putting surface.
Emerald Dwarf Bermudagrass
With its unique growth habit, Emerald Dwarf Bermudagrass creates a tight, firm putting surface with very little “grain”. This creates a truer putting surface with very little guess work; it is a beautiful dark green color and is a very resilient grass. Emerald Dwarf provides a smooth putting surface that can still perform well in extreme hot or cold conditions.
Paspalum
Paspalum is certainly the newest grass to hit the golf industry in recent years. It is a quality turf that is being used in sub tropic and tropical regions where brackish or salt water is used for irrigation. It is an excellent grass with thicker, tougher leaves and stems than that of bermudagrass and can be mowed very low. A very important consideration to maintain green speeds are that more double-cutting will be required compared to bermudagrass.
Tifdwarf Bermuda
Tifdwarf Bermudagrass offers a fine blade and its putting surface can be compared to that of Bentgrass greens. It is very adaptable to heat, brackish soils, heavy traffic and low mowing. Because of it’s over seeding and transitions 
characteristics, it is highly effective for year-round play in areas where summer temperatures reach and exceed 100 degrees. Tifdwarf has smaller and shorter leaves, stems and internodes and the leaf blades are dark green in color and have the finest texture of the hybrid Bermuda grasses.
Jenson
Jensen Ultra dwarf is capable of standing up to much warmer climates, which is ideal in the southeast. Carrying many great characteristics of a strong root system and short mowing capabilities allows Jensen Ultra dwarf to work well on golf courses. Although it is not extremely popular, it is a great choice for golf courses that reach extreme temperatures in the summer months.
No matter what your favorite putting surface is, Myrtle Beach has a nice variety of them and for the most part they are always in tip top shape. Please contact us for your next golf trip and be sure to ask us about the greens you’ll be putting on!!
