The surface where you play golf is commonly known simply as ‘the green’. It is the location where the holes are located. All Golf Courses come with a standard layout where they are mostly 18 or 9 hole designs that are crafted to test your skills and techniques.
Basics about The Green in Golf
When you play golf, you will hear phrases like ‘hit the greens’ or play on ‘the greens’. What do these actually mean? In a typical 18-hole golf course, it would simply means that it has 18 putting holes. Each of the holes is clearly visible from afar as they are always indicated with a flagstick. In a standard 18-hole course, the colors of the flags indicate certain meanings. They are usually the first sign that provides a visual marker for every hole on the green. This will allow you to aim better. Generally:
- A yellow or blue flag indicates that the hole is at the back of the green
- A white flag indicates that the hole is in the middle while
- The red flag indicates that the hole is in front of the green.
It must be noted that some of these colors might differ.
The process of hitting the greens
After teeing off, the ball will usually land in the fairway far from your first swing. That is where you will then take a second shot. Take note that the objective is to drive the ball closer to the putting green in the shortest shots possible. From the putting green, you will then try to putt the ball into the hole to complete this particular round.
All greens are designed in different shapes and sizes where among the most common layout comes in an oval. In some cases, the putting green is actually sloped to offer more challenge for the golfer although they are more commonly flat. You will surely notice that putting greens usually use turfgrass which do not grow too high as it is designed to provide the smoothest surface possible for the golfer. The green is known to be the part of the golf course with the smoothest surface.
Types of grasses used on greens
As the name implies, the surfaces are green (grasses) in color. Most golf courses grow the most suitable types of grasses for their golf courses. This is mostly influenced by the climate and natural surroundings of the golf course. Among the types of grasses mostly used are:
- Bermuda – This is one of the most popular types of grasses used in golf courses. They are known to grow well in most climates and more so in warm-weather locations. Bermuda grasses are drought-resistant and is known to grow in hot environments. However, they are not so suitable for cold weather locations.
- Bentgrass – There are several types of Bentgrass used. This type of grass is part of the Poa family and is very suitable for golf courses in cold countries, especially around the northern regions of the United States. Known for its smooth texture, it is easy to maintain.
- Perennial Ryegrass – This type of grass is commonly used for fairways and tee boxes. It has got very strong roots and usually lasts through cold weather. However, planting must be very careful to ensure that the texture is smooth and hole-free.
- Zoysia – Zoysia grass is known to grow in almost every climate that are normal and not extreme (cold or hot). Like Bentgrass, Zoysia is also part of the Poa grass family it is commonly adopted and needs deep rooting planting processes.
