My Golf Swing Guide

The two main types of grass utilized on putting greens are Bent and Bermuda. There are other various blends of these grasses like Penncross, Penneagle, L90, and Seaside. Bermuda greens are seen in the southern part of the US where weather conditions are warmer. Bent greens are commonly seen in the northern part of the US where temps are cooler.

Some golf courses insouthern states do use bent grass on their putting areas. This is more risky, however, because extreme heat can put substantial stress on bent greens. Additionally, bent grass in the south is a lot more costly to maintain.

There are significant differences between these two putting surfaces that can have an effect on the putting stroke .

The principal characteristic of Bent grass is the capability to mow the greens very short. The shorter one can mow the greens the swifter they become, thus, swift Bent greens make pitching, chipping, and putting much more difficult. Additionally, Bent grass greens are usually truer than Bermuda greens, therefore, a putt usually will do what you believe it should.

On the contrary, Bermuda grass is a thicker blade compared to bent grass. Even if Bermuda greens are mowed shorter, with the blades being thicker, they are not nearly as quick as bent greens. Additionally, Bermuda greens are more grainy then Bent greens.

What in fact is grain? The grain is the direction which the grass grows on the green. Bent grass is a much more vertical growing grass. On the other hand, Bermuda grass grows more horizontal alongside the ground. Bermuda greens affect the role of the golf ball more than Bent grass. Both Bermuda and Bent greens grow in the direction of the setting sun, a body of water, or the main drainage flow of the hole. As a result, these variables do affect grain growth.

Reading greens is truly an art. To do so properly, you need to know how much grain is on a green. Discover which type of grass a golf  course has prior to you play. Additionally, determine where the sun sets and what the general drainage direction is on the golf course. Understanding this information should provide you with a excellent idea as to how the ball is going to break. 

Yet another crucial factor in reading a putt properly is the shade of the grass. If you are putting into shiny grass, it suggests you are putting with the grain. If you are putting into dull grass you will be putting into the grain. Also, check close to the cup. The hole is cut in the early morning and will have crisp edges. As the day progresses, the edge of the cup that is worn will be the direction the grain is growing.

Keep in mind, if the grain is growing into you, a putt will be slower. If the grain is growing away from you, a putt will be faster. Grain growing to the left will make a putt break left, and grain growing to the right will make a putt break right. Don’t forget, when putting on bent greens the golf ball will break more with the slope of the green, whereas, on Bermuda greens the ball will break in the direction the grain grows.

Make sure you work on a few putting drills and hit a few putts prior to your round. This will help you get a feel for the speed and grain of the greens.

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