
- Choose a location. Your green should be built on a spot that has sandy soil, plenty of sun and good drainage.
- Excavate the area of your golf green to a depth of 20 inches (51 cm). ...
- Design the green. It should have a variety of slopes to challenge you, but ultimately slope away from the center.
- Install the drainage system in 8-inch (20 cm) trenches to ensure that water will drain away from the center.
- Put in an irrigation system if necessary. Keep in mind that adequate, even irrigation is the key to keeping turf healthy.
- Cover the area with a 4-inch (10 cm) layer of pea gravel. ...
- Add 2 inches (5 cm) of sand on top of the gravel and compact it.
- Top the sand with about 14 inches (35 cm) of topsoil that consists of 60 percent sand and no more than 20 percent clay.
- Seed or sod your green. Sodding often results in an uneven green, so seed instead if you have the time and patience to care for the grass until it ...
- Mark the edges of your green by sodding the perimeter with rougher grass. ...
- Buy your cups, pins and flags from a supplier of golf course equipment. ...
- Scalp the turf to a height below .5”
- Remove as many of the grass clippings as possible.
- Aerate the turf.
- Apply a 12-12-12 starter fertilizer (brand doesn't really matter)
- Apply top dressing mix.
- Use a shop broom to work the dressing mix into the turf.
How do you get grass seed for a golf course?
To get your golf course grass seed, visit your local garden stores or order some online. This is where we are focusing on in this guide. There are several different golf course grasses you can grow. These grasses are dependent on the environment and personal choice on how you want your turf to feel and look.
How do golf courses make the grass look so good?
It’s no secret that golf courses use special equipment, techniques, and strategies to make the grass look amazing, writes Mike Erbe of HamptonGolf. One of my local courses, Palencia Club, one of the premier St Augustine golf courses, built a state-of-the-art maintenance facility exclusively for course maintenancce.
Can I plant new grass in August on a golf course?
In its early stages, newly planted grass is delicate and demanding. It needs food (fertilizer) and a lot of water, but not so much water that you drown it. That’s a tricky balance to strike. Because most golf courses have sophisticated irrigation systems, they can handle the high-maintenance demands of newly planted grass in late August.
What type of grass do you need for a golf course?
Not only is it needed to cover most of the vast land, the type of grass determines the level of play you’ll experience playing golf on it. Golf course grass is commonly known as turf grass, and the grass types used differ from region to region by their ability to withstand both cold and heat.

How to keep grass from drowning in rain?
Cover the area with a 4-inch (10 cm) layer of pea gravel. The gravel will hold water near the roots when you irrigate the green, but will allow water to pass through quickly during heavy rain so the grass doesn't drown. Compact the gravel layer. Add 2 inches (5 cm) of sand on top of the gravel and compact it.
How to mark the edges of a golf green?
Mark the edges of your green by sodding the perimeter with rougher grass. You may want to add a vapor barrier around your green before sodding to keep the surrounding area from sucking water away or adding water to your green. Buy your cups, pins and flags from a supplier of golf course equipment.
What is wikihow in golf?
wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 175,356 times. Learn more... Many golf enthusiasts build golf greens in their back yards so they can practice putting ...
Can you water a green with a sprinkler?
Some water sources may clog sprinkler nozzles or introduce harmful chemicals. You can water your green with garden sprinklers or drip lines connected to timers, but you will spend a lot of time moving them on and off the green. An underground system with pop-up sprinklers can be fully automated.
Do golf courses have irrigation?
Golf course irrigation systems operate at higher pressures in order to spread the water over a wider area. However, since you only have one green to irrigate, a residential system will work well and is less expensive. ...
Can you build a golf green in your back yard?
Many golf enthusiasts build golf greens in their back yards so they can practice putting without traveling to a golf course and paying fees. While you can build a golf green by grooming the grass you have or by planting grass, if you want a green that meets the standards of the U.S. Golf Association (USGA), you must excavate the area, ...
How long does it take for grass to grow in a golf course?
In cooler climes, it takes up to 14 days for grass seeds to germinate, and another 7 to 8 weeks for the grass to get established. Ed. note: Welcome to Super Secrets, a new GOLF.com series in which we’re picking the brains of the game’s leading superintendents.
What is the best time of year to plant grass?
The best time of year to plant grass in warmer climes. This may come as a shock, but warm-season grasses do best when planted in (drum roll, please!) warm conditions, with soil temperatures around 65 to 70 degrees, and daytime temperatures of above 80. These grasses also love sunshine, so the longer the days, the better, according to Craig Ellis, ...
What weeds are in the grass in warm weather?
What’s more, that warm weather also brings out weeds like crabgrass and goose grass . “So as your grass comes in, it will be competing with those weeds,” Curtin says. And it won’t have much hope. “Those weeds will essentially starve your turf to death.”.
How long does it take for grass to grow?
It takes roughly 7 to 14 days for the seeds to germinate, and another 7 to 8 weeks for the grass to get established. By that time, air temperatures have started to get autumnal, cool but not too frosty, just the kind of conditions cool-season grasses love.
What is the best temperature to plant rye?
The sweet spot, he notes, is when soil temperatures are between 45 and 68 degrees, an optimal range that allows for both robust root development and healthy leaf growth.
When is the best time to plant Bermuda?
For those reasons, Ellis says, late April is prime time to plant a warm-season varietal like, say, Bermuda. The days are long and warm, but the temperatures have yet to reach the searing peak of summer, and there’s less competition from crabgrass and other weeds.
Does spring bring weeds out of grass?
But by then, the weather has also gotten warmer, which isn’t great for the grass itself. What’s more, that warm weather also brings out weeds like crabgrass and goose grass.
What type of grass is used in golf courses?
1. Bermuda Grass for Golf Course. It is befitting to mention this turf grass type first as it one of the most popular grasses used in golf courses. Bermuda is a warm-season grass and, as such, is used majorly in warm areas that typically reach temperatures unconducive for several kinds of grass.
What is golf course grass?
Golf course grass is commonly known as turf grass, and the grass types used differ from region to region by their ability to withstand both cold and heat. Turf grass differs from the regular lawn grass you may find in homes. Although some grasses used in home lawns can be used in golf courses.
Why does turf grass need to be tall?
Here are the reasons why. Turf grasses need to withstand the cold or heat prevalent in the region: one of the major characteristics your turf grass needs to have is to withstand the prevalent temperature in that region. Be it cold or heat. It needs to stand still tall when this temperature hits.
What is perennial rye grass?
Perennial ryegrass is one of the most popular cool-season turf grasses around . It is usually planted on tees and fairways of golf courses. It has a fine texture like the fescue grass.
What is fescue grass?
Fescue grass is a cool-season grass that can withstand colder temperatures and some degree of heat. This makes it an attractive golf course grass for moderate regions experiencing both worlds. Fescue grass can also be used on fairways and has a good feel and look to it.
What is the best grass for golf?
5. Zoysia Grass for Golf Course. Zoysia is a native Asian grass but has been in the US for more than a century and has become a popular golf course grass in that time. It is a warm-season grass best suited to warmer climes. This is a creeping heat and drought tolerant grass that will save you a lot on irrigation.
Why is grass important in golf?
Golf courses give a lot of us the ambiance to relax, play the game, and have a swell time, even with friends and family. Apart from a vast expanse of land, of course, the grass is the next biggest and arguably most important part of a golf course. Not only is it needed to cover most of the vast land, the type of grass determines the level ...
What is the Best Grass for a Golf Course?
The best type of grass to use on a golf course is a variety that is tough and fast repairing.
Most Popular Types of Grass Commonly Used on Golf Courses
Below we introduce you to five of the most commonly used types of grass on golf courses around the world and explain their benefits and what conditions they’re best suited to.
FAQS: Grass and Golf Courses
Adding sand to golf course grass is a process known as ‘topdressing’ and is vital to the healthy growth of the grass across the course.
Location and Course Grass Explained
The type of grass used at a particular golf course largely depends on its location.
How big of a putting green do I need?
No surprise here. If you want a putting green, you’ll need a place to put it. It doesn’t have to be an enormous plot of land — around 1,000 square feet is a manageable size that will still give you plenty of room to roll your rock — but it should be in a place that gets a reasonable amount of sunlight and doesn’t feature any severely steep slopes. “I don’t recommend trying to build one of these things into the side of a hill,” Werline says.
How long does it take for a green plant to grow?
Growing in a green requires care and attention. You’ll need to fertilize, and water regularly. After about eight weeks, Werline says, you should have something you can putt on, though three to four months is a more realistic timeline to get your green in tip-top shape.
Can you use a rusty push mower to cut grass?
Mowing is another matter altogether, and that rusty push mower you use to cut your lawn won’t do the trick. You’ll need one that’s specially designed for mowing greens (it doesn’t hurt to have a roller, too, if you want to get your green running nice and smooth and slick).
Who is the favorite to win the 2021 Open Championship?
2021 Open Championship odds to win: Jon Rahm the favorite to lift the Claret Jug. A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting.
Does seeding grass give you better turf?
But in the long term, Werline says, seeding will likely give you better quality turf. What grass varietal you plant will depend largely on where you live; different strains do better in different climates. Consult with a lawn care expert when making a selection. Growing in a green requires care and attention.
