Champions Bermuda Greens

[ATL96Steeler]

Metro ATL has some very nice public courses and some of the best private tracks in the country. Bent grass greens had been the standard, for smooth, fast greens. It still is, but notable tracks such as East Lake have gone to this hybrid Bermuda green and several other significant private tracks are doing the same.

Bent...in early spring and fall into winter, still imo the best surface to putt on...10 to 11 on the stimp for the nicer public courses. ATL is about as far south as most greenkeepers will try to maintain Bent for public courses. In mid to late summer, they have to slow them down to about 8 or 9 to keep them alive. Very receptive, most any club will hold within 3 paces of the pitch mark.

Champions Bermuda...I putted these in FL, and just recently played a course here than converted to them. More grain than Bent, but still smooth. Firmer and faster in the hotter months and they can be like glass in the spring and fall. Year round, it might be a better surface.

How about where you are? What's the green standard?

 

[HawkeyesRuleURFace]

I'm in Florida...all Bermuda down here...grew up in Ohio and played on bent...never realized until I moved down here how fast they can get Bermuda...I played at Johns Island West in Vero one year for the US open qualifier and the greens were at a 12 at 7am...that day it was blowing about 15mph and I swear by the time I got to 17 they were a 14...never seen bent grass get that fast...played Point O Woods in Michigan and those were about a 12, fastest bent I have ever seen

 

[flaraider]

I live east of Orlando, mostly Bermuda greens, but I played Cocoa Beach CC a couple weeks ago, they have converted to paspalum, very nice, maybe not as fast as some Bermuda, but very smooth and consistent, I don't think they pull to the sun as much, not as much grain. Probably the nicest greens I have putted on this summer.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'm in Florida...all Bermuda down here...grew up in Ohio and played on bent...never realized until I moved down here how fast they can get Bermuda...I played at Johns Island West in Vero one year for the US open qualifier and the greens were at a 12 at 7am...that day it was blowing about 15mph and I swear by the time I got to 17 they were a 14...never seen bent grass get that fast...played Point O Woods in Michigan and those were about a 12, fastest bent I have ever seen

Yea...FL is pretty much all bermuda now...I never liked it much early on, but Champions bermuda has changed my mind.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I live east of Orlando, mostly Bermuda greens, but I played Cocoa Beach CC a couple weeks ago, they have converted to paspalum, very nice, maybe not as fast as some Bermuda, but very smooth and consistent, I don't think they pull to the sun as much, not as much grain. Probably the nicest greens I have putted on this summer.

I've played a little in the Orlando area...mostly Tampa area (gulf coast) and one of my favorites World Woods.

Closer to you...Nicklaus design...Ocean Hammock (may be called something else now) in Palm Coast I thought those were the best greens I've putted in FL.

 

[TobyTyler]

Yea...FL is pretty much all bermuda now...I never liked it much early on, but Champions bermuda has changed my mind.

I hate Bermuda! Too much to think about with all the grain.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I hate Bermuda! Too much to think about with all the grain.

I was with you in that thinking until I putted on Champions Bermuda...still some grain, but this strain of turf can be cut really low and much smoother than any other bermuda I've putted. Still not as smooth as a pristine bent grass green but upkeep in the heat of the summer in the south is much easier.

The greens I don't like are poa which I played in Colo....freshly cut, nice. Otherwise bumpy.

 

[TobyTyler]

I was with you in that thinking until I putted on Champions Bermuda...still some grain, but this strain of turf can be cut really low and much smoother than any other bermuda I've putted. Still not as smooth as a pristine bent grass green but upkeep in the heat of the summer in the south is much easier.

The greens I don't like are poa which I played in Colo....freshly cut, nice. Otherwise bumpy.

Oh, I didn't realize that it was a different kind of Bermuda. That's interesting and has got me intrigued. I grew up on poa in California.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Oh, I didn't realize that it was a different kind of Bermuda. That's interesting and has got me intrigued. I grew up on poa in California.

I didn't either...when East Lake CC (recent host of the TOUR Championship for the last 5 yrs or so), very prestigious club here announce they were migrating to this green surface I never paid any attention to it.

But scores at the tournament shot up the yr the new greens were installed...players were used to shooting at pins knowing the ball would stick pretty close. Not with Champions Bermuda greens, still hold, but much firmer, more roll out when you hit...only 30 guys but most seemed to like the new putting surfaces.

It's a finer bladed grass than common bermuda...several other tracks have gone to it here and I expect even more will go to it when this economy gets back up to speed if that ever happens.