Fairway Grasses for Midwest Golf Courses

Kentucky bluegrass can produce quality fairways in the Midwest if it is not mowed too short. Keep track of research. Climates vary widely across the Midwest, complicating the choice of fairway turf grass species. New epidemics of gray leaf spot have weakened the popularity of perennial ryegrass, long a preferred fairway species in many parts of the Midwest. Cultivars are available that accentuate the strengths of various fairway species. In the cool, moist regions of Scotland where golf began, selecting a fairway turf species is not difficult. Fine fescues, bentgrasses and other cool-season turfgrasses are native there and very well adapted to the climate. They generally perform well at low mowing heights with minimal maintenance. In the cold winters and hot summers of the Midwestern United States, however, grasses that are truly adapted to fairway conditions are rarer, and no single species stands out as the region's ideal fairway turfgrass. Before the 1980s, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) was the most-used species in Midwestern fairways. During the past two decades, many courses switched to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris). There is no clear choice for every Midwestern situation, however. The best choice depends on course budget, climate, water availability and other regional factors.