Help with Bermuda greens

[mgranato]

Got a tournament coming up that's on Bermuda. Do any of you guys who play on it year 'round have any pearls of wisdom for reading the grain? I'm on bent 99.9% of the year and just don't have enough experience on Bermuda to feel comfortable. The variety is TifEagle if that makes a difference.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

i'm with you and can putt lights out on bent but have struggled with bermuda since i never get to play on it often. Tiff Eagle will help because if memory serves it's a bermuda/bent hybrid so at least you'll get the smoothness of bent but will have to deal with the grain of bermuda.

Best advice is to pay attention to which way the grass is growing and how that is going to effect your putt; my first "holy crap" moment on bermuda was a 20* downhill putt that was against the grain that stopped midway down the hill and i was shocked.

Also, the shinier the grass the faster it is going to roll.

 

[Keefer]

My home course here in Florida (last course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.) has SeaDwarf Paspalum which is less grainy than bermuda. And it's a much hardier grass also. However, most courses in Florida have bermuda. As was mentioned shiny is with the grain and dark is into the grain. Also, take a look at the cup. One side will be smooth and the other will be ragged. The smooth side is with the grain and the ragged is against the grain. I've also heard that you should follow the sun and let that guide you as well. Grass will tend to grow towards the sun. So take that into consideration depending if you play in the morning or afternoon.

Bermuda is hard to get used to and it depends on how the greens are cut. If they're not cut very short they are real slow and you'll struggle just to get the ball to the hole. One rule of thumb would be to give it more pop into the grain and less pop with the grain.

Go to the practice green before you play and get a feel for the greens that day. Bermuda will make the best golfers look foolish so don't feel bad.

I'm playing Innisbrook (Copperhead Course) on Thursday where they play the Transitions Tournament. So I'll be in the same boat. Good Luck.

 

[EdStraker]

Tifeagle can be cut closer than bermuda, so it usually plays faster and the grain isn't as big a factor as bermuda greens.

 

[Richie3Jack]

Yes, I play it year round.

Grain doesn't actually affect the curve. Meaning if a putt is dead straight, it ain't going to curve because of the grain. Where it affects the roll is either slowing it down or making it faster than it looks. *That* affects the curve.

I think where people get confused is they think the grain will move it left or right and when they don't get the results they expect, they blame it on the wrong thing.

If it's championship bermuda, shouldn't be much of an issue.





3JACK

 

[Kevin Shields]

When Im on bermuda I lobby to get dots on my card...never works and I just accept my 3 shots higher than usual. Cost me alot at the National Stroke Play in January. Helen Keller wouldve done better.

 

[Robbohank]

One of the most important concepts I had clarified about "grain" was at an Aimpoint clinic. I play on bermuda surfaces regularly and always treated grain as another thing to be factored into the break equation. The clarification I got was that grass (grain) always grows downhill. It doesn't "follow the sun", it doesn't grow toward the water (not necessarily anyways but lakes near a green are usually at a lower elevation and in most cases the slope is going to be toward that body of water).

Now I look at the hole and see the ragged edge knowing that the hole is sloping in that direction. I never cared much for the shiny/dull surface approach and I'm more concerned with what's happening near the hole when gravity starts to take over. Certainly a down-grain putt will be quicker than an into the grain putt but the actual affect of the grain itself is minimal. The SLOPE it indicates is much more important.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

The clarification I got was that grass (grain) always grows downhill.

pfft...ya right, i'm living proof it isn't an always with my post. it's a course i have played on numerous times in NC. It wasn't cut the best but the grass was sticking "up" (perse) into the hill/slope of the 2nd tier of the green. Now maybe this was designed this way and that grass always really does grow downhill, however on this par 3 i will tell you it does not lol. So always always LOOK.

 

[Robbohank]

pfft...ya right, i'm living proof it isn't an always with my post. it's a course i have played on numerous times in NC. It wasn't cut the best but the grass was sticking "up" (perse) into the hill/slope of the 2nd tier of the green. Now maybe this was designed this way and that grass always really does grow downhill, however on this par 3 i will tell you it does not lol. So always always LOOK.

Just going by what the experts told me Jim. The more I thought about it the more sense if made. Why in the hell would grass grow uphill? I can assure you it plays out that way when I look at grain and THEN really try and determine slope by looking at other features in and around the green/hole.

It simply validated that I sucked at finding slope. Tough pill to swallow but perhaps your in the same boat.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Just going by what the experts told me Jim. The more I thought about it the more sense if made. Why in the hell would grass grow uphill? I can assure you it plays out that way when I look at grain and THEN really try and determine slope by looking at other features in and around the green/hole.

It simply validated that I sucked at finding slope. Tough pill to swallow but perhaps your in the same boat.

Bermuda isn't like bent and doesn't necessarily have to grow in any direction imo all you have to do is look at the root structure. Bent tends to grow "up" like a spiked haircut and thus will fall with towards the side of gravity. Bermuda is more like a knarly spiderweb which is why hitting it fat on bermuda fairways HURTS.

Again i could be wrong but i had locals explaining to me why a putt, on a 20* downhill putt stopped in the middle of the freaking point. OBVIOUSLY there was enough friction to overcome gravity. What do you think that friction was? Ya, it was grass

 

[Robbohank]

Well Granato - plenty of good advice here. Good luck with all the consistent info! lol

Be especially cautious of the down-hillers that come back at ya! THAT my friend is a tough green to read!!!!

 

[Richie3Jack]

Basically I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think that's what happens to most people. They miss a few putts, start blaming it on the grain and then get confused thinking the grain forces the ball to move left or right when it doesn't. Also remember that the other golfers in the field probably are missing putts as well.

Personally, I just try to hit GIR's and chew up the par-5's.






3JACK

 

[mgranato]

Thanks for all the help guys. At one point or another, I think I've tried all the suggestions mentioned and am left with what I feared... its between the ears and I need more experience on the surface. An old pro gave me some great tips that I'm gonna put to use that should help. Now I need to spend the next few days adjusting my attitude towards that hell spawned of cursed plant. (Starting…now)