Warm-Season Putting Green In 2013, the U.S. Golf Association (USGA)
co-funded a trial with NTEP to identify warm-season grasses that can provide acceptable putting surfaces where course owners want to save water, pesticide, and fertilizer inputs. Tat trial included not only bermudagrass, but also zoysiagrass and seashore paspalum. Seashore paspalum has been utilized on putting greens for the last decade or so, but zoysiagrass has almost no history as a putting green surface in the U.S. (zoysia has been a mainstay of ‘summer’ putting greens in Japan for decades). Including three different species in one trial offered challenges, particularly in management specifics that may differ from one species to another. Te 2013 trial has been replaced by a new trial
containing nineteen entries (nine bermuda, six zoysia, and four seashore paspalum) that was established at ten locations in 2019. Data from year four (2023) is now available, with data being reported by location and not summarized over all locations. Data from 2020 showed significant differences
in establishment, genetic color, leaf texture, and density. Differences were also noted in spring greenup, fall color retention, and seed head production. Entries were mostly well established in 2021, so data performance reflects putting green mowing height and maintenance. Data from 2022 through 2024 was collected on how entries respond to low mowing heights and various stresses. For the summary report, several experimental
bermuda, zoysia, and seashore paspalum experimentals performed well. In 2020, the bermudas overall were the top entries, with MSB-1050 and Tifeagle filling some of the top spots in the three LPI groups, along with UGA 16-1105 and SeaStar paspalum. Data from 2021 showed some of the zoysias outperforming many bermudas with zoysias FZ 1710, DALZ 1815, and DALZ 1814 at or near the top for turf quality.
2022 demonstrated the value of multiple location
evaluations. FZ 1710 zoysia was a top group performer at Riverside, CA, and Jay, FL. FZ 1714 zoysia was excellent at Riverside, CA, and Griffin, GA. For bermuda, MSB- 1050 finished at the top of turf quality at Griffin, GA, and Mississippi State, MS, along with SeaStar seashore paspalum. UGA 16-1105 and SeaStar paspalum were the top two grasses at College Station, TX. And Tahoma 31 bermuda was a surprising top entry at Richmond, VA. Finally, in 2023, several zoysia entries were
excellent, outperforming many bermudagrass entries. Entries such as Diamond, FZ 1710, FZ 1717, and DALZ 1815 zoysia were top performers in Virginia Beach, VA, Riverside, CA, and Jay, FL. MSB-1050 bermuda was a high-ranking entry at Virginia Beach, VA, and Mississippi State, MS. Like 2022, Tahoma 31 bermuda showed good performance at Virginia Beach, VA, and Mississippi State, MS. Overall, it is surprising how well these new zoysiagrasses have improved their performance and over the trial period under putting green management.
68
Tis group is examining the 1998 NTEP Onsite Bermudagrass trial at Crystal Springs Golf Course, Burlingame, CA.
For seashore paspalum, UGA 17-653 and SeaStar
were top entries at Mississippi State, MS, and College Station, TX. No seashore paspalum entry was in the top statistical group at any other trial location. However, bermudagrass is still the preferred warm-season species for putting greens with zoysiagrass gaining interest. Turf quality data analyzed by management
level showed some significant differences. Results under Schedule A (0.110 - 0.125 in. [2.79 – 3.175 mm] mowing height, 0.5 - 0.75 lbs. of Nitrogen/1000 sq. ft [0.227 – 0.340 kg/92.90 sq. meters] on bermuda entries, 0.3 - 0.5 lbs. of Nitrogen/1000 sq. ft [0.136 – 0.227 kg/92.90 sq. meters] on zoysia and paspalum entries) showed FZ 1710 zoysia, and bermudas OKC3920 and Tifdwarf’ with the highest overall quality. MSB-1050 bermuda, the lowest quality entry under Schedule A, was the top performer under Schedule B (0.125 - 0.140 in. [3.175 – 3.556 mm] mowing height, 0.3 - 0.5 lbs. of Nitrogen/1000 sq. ft [0.136 – 0.227 kg/92.90 sq. meters] on bermuda entries, 0.2 - 0.3 lbs. of Nitrogen/1000 sq. ft [0.0907 – 0.136 kg/92.90 sq meters] on zoysia and paspalum entries). Other Schedule B top grasses include several zoysias such as DALZ 1815, Diamond, DALZ 1814, FZ 1710, and FZ 1717. St. Augustinegrass and seashore paspalum cultivar
development had been fairly limited in the U.S. for a long while. Te situation changed in the early to mid- 2000s when new plant breeders were hired at southern universities like Texas A&M, the University of Florida, and North Carolina State University. With those folks in place along with established programs at the University of Georgia and Mississippi State University, and with a major federal (USDA) grant from the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), an increase in breeding of warm-season species is occurring across the southern U.S. Growers and consumers are now seeing new cultivars of St.
TPI Turf News July/August 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
