How to Grow a Lawn That Looks Like a Golf Course
Golf course grass is a pristine sight. While you're in pursuit of the perfect swing, it might also be hard to overlook the quality of the golf course grasses compared to those at home enduring your own lawn maintenance routine.
While having fun and improving your game, you don’t have to give up on your dream outdoor space. Taking notes from Marc Mayer, TruGreen’s director of operations, there are many basic lawn care tips that can help you on your journey to having a PGA TOUR-worthy backyard.
Choose the Best Time for Watering
"The best time for a deep watering is in the morning, usually between 5:00 am and 10:00 am," notes Mayer. "At midday, the water may evaporate too quickly from sun exposure to be absorbed by your soil – meaning your grass won’t get all the water it needs to thrive. Watering grass at night, meanwhile, may leave the average lawn susceptible to damage, as the damp blades can attract turf diseases." You hear that? Water in the morning (before you tee off) for the best results, especially during drought-like conditions and hot summer temperatures.
Use Fertilizers
"Grow your game," says Mayer. "Fertilizers provide important nutrients that your lawns need to grow and produce a dense, green surface. After being dormant all winter, spring is the perfect time to fertilize your lawn to help jump-start growth and bring back that fairway green appearance."
Use a Lawn Roller
Flatten irregularities in your bumpy lawn, because the coveted golf-course lawn is as smooth as can be (you know, except those ignored divots). Always plan to run the roller over the blades of grass after a day of rain when the soil is saturated and more flexible.
Related: How to Grow Grass in a Shaded, Mossy Yard
Get Rid of Weeds
"Don’t let annual weeds stand in the way of your shot at having a green and healthy lawn. Eliminating weeds in your lawn creates less competition for the grass plant to receive the necessary nutrients and water. In the spring, homeowners should focus on a pre-emergent weed killer/control product to reduce weed populations that will emerge during the summer months," recommends Mayer.
He adds, "If clover and dandelions are invading, a broadleaf weed control product labeled for your grass type will knock them out. Remember to follow the product label directions and always ask a pro if you aren’t certain what to apply to your lawn, or if you want them to take the task off your hands."
Master Your Mowing Schedule
"Mow as necessary, not according to a preset schedule," says Mayer. "And always follow the 'one-third' rule to maintain active root growth – no more than one-third of the leaf blade should be cut during a single lawn mowing as that may stunt root growth and cause the grass to be stressed." This precise cutting action leads to a greener lawn with less dead grass.
Photo by Steven Shircliff on Unsplash
How can you grow your own putting green?
Living the dream. If you're vying to install your own putting green at home, consider the ingredients: healthy soil,
Identify an area of your lawn and use a sod remover to remove existing grass. Choose a spot with good drainage so you don't need to worry about flooding.
Order and spread new, high-quality topsoil into the area you cleared. Choosing high-quality topsoil helps to ensure there aren't existing common weed seeds in the product that will become a problem later.
Use a lawn roller to ensure that it's very, very smooth. To mow evenly, you won't want bumps or lumps.
Choose the right type of grass seed. Bermudagrass, Poa annua, and Creeping bentgrass are popular options. Maintain it according to the recommended directions in terms of frequency and volume of water, and apply more grass seed as recommended.
Keep your golf course quality turf healthy and the grass blades weed-free. Every single blade counts. If you see a weed, get it out.
You'll have better control if you sculpt your green with a rotary mower (or reel mower) as it grows and thickens. This type of mower makes it easier to control the mower blades. Mow daily to manage grass growth.
Place your putting hole where you desire, and enjoy the game.
For more advanced lawn care tasks such as aeration or pest control, homeowners can tap TruGreen to help maintain their green.
