The fairway is the closely mown turf connecting the tee box to the putting green. As the primary playing surface for most shots, turfgrass selection fundamentally determines the course’s quality and character. Superintendents must choose a variety that withstands heavy foot and cart traffic while providing a firm, dense surface for an optimal ball lie. This decision is primarily dictated by the local climate, dividing choices into warm-season grasses for hotter regions and cool-season grasses for temperate zones.
Warm-Weather Fairway Grasses
In the southern United States and other subtropical or tropical regions, warm-season grasses are the standard choice due to their ability to thrive in intense heat and humidity. These grasses grow most actively when temperatures are consistently above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but they enter a dormant, brown state when cooler weather arrives.
The most widespread option is Bermuda Grass (Cynodon spp.), which has an aggressive growth habit, allowing it to recover quickly from divots and wear. Modern hybrid Bermuda cultivars, such as ‘Tifway 419,’ ‘Celebration,’ and ‘Latitude 36,’ offer finer texture, greater density, and superior drought tolerance compared to older varieties. These grasses spread laterally through both stolons (above-ground runners) and rhizomes (underground stems), creating a thick, resilient turf.
Zoysia Grass (Zoysia spp.) serves as an alternative warm-season fairway turf, gaining popularity for its exceptional density and a softer, finer texture that some compare to a carpet. Cultivars like ‘Meyer’ and ‘Zeon’ possess better shade tolerance than Bermuda Grass, which is a significant advantage on tree-lined courses. However, Zoysia’s primary trade-off is its slower growth rate, meaning it takes much longer to recover from concentrated damage.
Cool-Weather Fairway Grasses
Cool-season grasses dominate fairways in the northern parts of the United States, Canada, and other temperate climates. These varieties grow best in temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and remain green during the cold season, often going dormant only during periods of extreme summer heat or drought.
Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) is a traditional, high-quality choice for cool-season fairways, known for its ability to tolerate very low mowing heights, down to half an inch or less. It forms an extremely dense turf, but this density comes with a high maintenance requirement, including intensive watering, fertilization, and regular dethatching to manage its prolific growth.
Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is frequently used, especially in areas that require fast establishment or have heavy traffic. While it establishes quickly and has good wear tolerance, it is often used for winter overseeding on dormant warm-season fairways to maintain a green playing surface year-round. Fine Fescues, including Chewings and Creeping Red Fescue, are gaining interest for their low-input nature, requiring less water and fertilizer compared to bentgrass, making them suitable for golf courses seeking a more sustainable management approach.
Key Attributes of Fairway Turf
Regardless of the species chosen, all fairway turf must possess specific functional characteristics to meet the demands of golf. Wear tolerance describes the turf’s ability to withstand the physical abuse from foot traffic, golf carts, and the impact of golf swings. A turf with high wear tolerance minimizes the bruising and tearing of grass blades that can thin out the playing surface.
The density of the turf is also paramount, as a dense stand of grass ensures the ball sits up on the blade tips, providing a clean lie for the golfer. This density must be maintained even when the grass is mowed at a low height, typically ranging from 0.4 to 0.75 inches for fairways.
The turf must also have a strong recuperative potential, meaning it can rapidly repair itself from physical injury. This trait is closely tied to the grass’s growth habit and ensures the playing surface remains consistent despite frequent damage.