Golf Basics - About Greens

Summary: Knowing how to drive and putt are not the only things you need to learn about playing golf. Golf being an outdoor activity you play on a living portion of land, and as in everything else out of doors, Mother Nature loves to play this game. Grasses are different; you might encounter a plush putting green or a weed patch with little growth at all. The putt can be altered by the texture, length and texture of the grass, and how much grass is actually there. A true golfe...

Knowing how to drive and putt are not the only things you need to learn about playing golf. Golf being an outdoor activity you play on a living portion of land, and as in everything else out of doors, Mother Nature loves to play this game. Grasses are different; you might encounter a plush putting green or a weed patch with little growth at all. The putt can be altered by the texture, length and texture of the grass, and how much grass is actually there. A true golfer doesnt play only on sunny days with no breeze, it is quite common to see a golfer with an umbrella (to protect the clubs) playing in the rain. Like any other outdoor activity, the rain changes how you putt a golf ball. You will also come across a condition that is created by man, that is recognized by few golfers, this is called the "lumpy donut" however this is not a real threat. In the United States you will most likely be playing on one of two types of grass: Bent is a cool weather grass found in the northern states, it is soft with fine blades growing close together, and this creates a carpet like texture. It cant take prolonged heat or humidity. Bermuda is used in the warmer climates; it is a strong weedy grass that handles warmer climates and humidity found in the southern states. The blades are long, broad, shaggy and sparser; golfers describe it as a wild shag rug which causes the ball to rise and fall in and out of the blades. Bermuda also has a grain, the direction in which the grass grows. Their differences create very different playing surfaces for golf. Balls will roll truer on bent grasses and the break will be caused by the slope of the land. With Bermuda your shot can be affected by uneven growth patterns in the grass. The place to identify how your shots will react to the different types of grass is the practice green.