Does Grass Type Effect Your Game?

Lions81

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Bermuda, Bent, Poa, Fescue. All types of grass found on courses in different parts of the country. Do you find that you play better on one compared to the other? Any that you are really bad on compared to your usual game? Or does it not really effect you at all?

Personally I sometimes struggle with Bermuda, especially when its really thin. Think its because we never play on it here in MI, and I find it to be a bit less forgiving. Lies are tight, contact needs to be really good etc. I think bent grass allows you to get away with less than perfect contact a lot.
 
Lots of course here in KS are zoysia and I prefer it. I have played on Bermuda and struggled a bit for the first few holes.
 
I only know of four types of grass that affect my game. Brown or green & long or short.
 
Lots of course here in KS are zoysia and I prefer it. I have played on Bermuda and struggled a bit for the first few holes.

Bellerive was the first time I played on Zoysia. Man I liked it a lot. Balls were like sitting up on tees in the fairway.
 
Im not a fan of Zoysia at all. Not that I wont play on it, I just don't like it. Bermuda....eh getting better. Favorite is blue/rye and bent.

Although.....a lot of courses are going to Zoysia because its tough, takes heat, takes less water, ect which I don't disagree with.
 
Bermuda....eh getting better..

We'll get some more practice on it next week. That's actually what made me think of it. Whatever the opposite of a short game clinic is, that's what I'll put on haha
 
We'll get some more practice on it next week. That's actually what made me think of it. Whatever the opposite of a short game clinic is, that's what I'll put on haha

haha, yeah I seen Mission Inn is Bermuda from last years pics. Whats your downfall with Bermuda?
 
haha, yeah I seen Mission Inn is Bermuda from last years pics. Whats your downfall with Bermuda?

Iron and wedge contact generally. I'm ok playing bump and runs on it, but if I have to hit like a short pitch over a bunker or something, I can look like anything from a tour pro to someone who has never played golf before. Total wild card.
 
I play a local course with zoysia and it always takes me a few holes to get going. I hit high shots anyway, so I really get under the ball on this grass. Other than that I struggle putting a bit on Bermuda. One direction it over breaks and the other it under breaks based on the read and that just Jack's my mind up.
 
I don't want to use the word 'struggle' but I definitely get impacted by different grasses and playing conditions associated with them.

Bermuda vs bent is a totally different experience.
 
Probably only Bermuda rough vs bent which I typically play, but if it's thick enough then no probably the same difficulty.

But generally I played pretty well when down in FL a couple of weeks ago.
 
I hate putting on bermuda greens. For reasons other than we don't have any in our area so I'm used to putting on Bent & Poa Annua. So I don't putt well when I have to factor in grain ... down grain, into the grain, shiny & dark! Just hit it already :act-up:
 
I think bent grass allows you to get away with less than perfect contact a lot.

Apparently you havnt played on wet bent lol Iv seen guys hit one just a snatch hair fat and they take a pelt out of the turf you can hang on the wall.
 
Bermuda wrecks my chipping game. I had no clue it did until this year but I felt helpless
 
I don't know much about the different breeds of grass but I do know that bermuda rough gave me fits when I moved to NC.

Previously a low bounce wedge player, I had to move to all high bounce and change my approach in the rough.

Now I'm largely unaffected (as to breed, rough of any kind can still be a challenge wrt a particular shot) but for a while there, it was exasperating.
 
I hate Bermuda greens. But living in Texas that is what I have to deal with. Also Bermuda rough can be tough sometimes. The times I have played on bent and zoysia I loved it.
 
Bellerive was the first time I played on Zoysia. Man I liked it a lot. Balls were like sitting up on tees in the fairway.

Unless you end up in a divot, you always have a good lie for sure.
 
Hmm I’m not sure I really have a preference? I mean green wise I’m a big fan of paspalum. It’s not too shabby in the fairway either except some places will certainly mow it tight (hammock beach) which I don’t mind for the most part but I’m probably not going to be playing a lot of flops around the green.

Not sure I hate any tome of grass but I also haven’t played on a lot. Not sure what most the courses used in va where I was at. Probably a rye/fescue mix.


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I struggle with chipping from Bermuda grass. I think I just don't give an aggressive enough swing to get through it. My putting on it has got much better, that used to be really ugly too.
 
I am way more likely to use a putter of the green on bermuda, that **** is evil. I would probably also use a different wedge set up if I was going to a place like Bandon with firm fast fescue.
 
Generally play Bent here in Ohio. Playing in August at Grand Cypress was my first time playing on Bermuda and man it took a bit to get a feel for. Once I got used to it, I really enjoyed it though and I felt like I handled it way better a couple weeks ago during the True Temper event. Haven't had a chance to play any others, but yeah the grass definitely affects my game for a bit.
 
i hate putting on bent greens. Very hard to get speed control down. As for rough, I can't stand kikuyu that isn't fully grown in. Cut down kikuyu is pain to judge how much a ball is sitting up at address.
 
I always struggled with Bermuda grass especially when it is dormant and makes up the rough around the greens. It is like trying to chip a ball out of wet laundry!
 
I sure do - Bermuda chipping and pitches give me trouble.
 
Love the question!! I made mention of the grass type at a local course here in the DFW area (Champions Circle) and how much I hate that course. No other course in the area has grass like this course and I can only best describe it as a hybrid between Bermuda and St. Augustine. It looks like Bermuda but the roots and the way it peels up is like St. Augustine. It's a thick grass, yet the ball will sit on top of it. I've found that I end up hitting more fat shots at this course than ANYWHERE else....and it's because your feet are always lower than the ball due to the thickness of the grass.

No other grass type impacts my play really. I prefer faster greens, but don't mind slower Bermuda greens because I can be more aggressive on them.

Again, great question and a topic I have commented on in DFW local golf course and M3 irons review threads (found here: https://www.thehackersparadise.com/...ade-M3-Irons?p=5751570&viewfull=1#post5751570) due to what I mentioned above about Champs Circle.
 
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