Ode To Bent Grass

Ode To Bent Grass

In 2017 Crow Creek replaced the original L-93 Bent grass greens with V-8 Bent grass greens.  Since I have been here, I have been asked why we chose to stick with Bent grass instead of going with some of the more popular varieties of Bermuda grass. Below are a few reasons why:

• Bent grass is less grainy than Bermuda and provides a smoother putting surface
• Bent does not go dormant therefore there is no need to over-seed or dye in the winter
• Most importantly Bent grass is a cool weather grass so it will always be in pristine condition during the spring and fall months. Bent grass will not be affected by a cold winter like Bermuda was a couple years ago nor will it have a transition period in the spring.

Bent grass will have a 4-6 week stretch at the end of summer in which it will not be at its best. In contrast, Bermuda will be dormant or over-seeded for 4-5 months during the winter and some of the prime golfing weather months in the spring. Management at Crow Creek felt the 4-6 week period at the end of summer was a better place to be less than perfect than in the middle of the spring when it is ideal golfing conditions.