Grasses Part 1

photo credit: danperry.com   Turfgrasses are divided according to whether they thrive under cool or warm conditions.  Cool-season grasses grow best in temperature ranges between 55 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.  Warm-season grasses grow best between 75 and 95 degrees.  In the US, cool-season grasses are usually bentgrasses, bluegrasses or fescues.  Warm weather grasses are usually Bermuda grasses.

Cool-season grasses tolerate cold but not heat; the reason northern courses favor bentgrasses for greens.  They can be closely mown to create lightning fast greens.  Bentgrass is of a fine texture and the ball rolls smoothly, seemingly on top of the turf, rather than through the blades which tour players love.

Warm-season grasses have thicker blades than bentgrasses.  There is more grain in Bermuda grass.  With modern methods,  it is now possible to cut Bermuda grass closely for faster greens.