There is a New Grass in Town - Some Very Compelling Reasons For The New Zoysia Hybrids

Of course, having great grass on a golf course is essential to offer excellent golf experiences.

Choosing grasses that provide optimal year-round playing conditions is essential, and the new Zoysia varieties present an excellent warm-season grass option. With the impressive hybrids available today,  varieties like Zeon , Lazer, and Stadium Zoysia are becoming increasingly favored as the grass of choice at many top golf courses. Here are eight reasons to consider using this distinctive grass on your golf course.

1. It’s A Superb Playing Surface. The quality of the playing surface is paramount in golf. Zoysia grass provides a consistent and firm surface, enhancing ball roll and shot precision. Players often value the ideal “sitting on top of a brush” lie that Zoysia offers, which contributes to a more enjoyable and fair game. The leaves of Zoysia's green varieties emerge from the rhizomes at 90 degrees, eliminating the inherent grain found in Bermudagrass.
   
   
2. It’s Remarkably Hardy. Zoysia grass is known for its remarkable hardiness and adaptability to various environmental conditions. It thrives in both warm and cool climates, making it a versatile choice for different regions. This type of grass demonstrates strong tolerance to drought, heat, and cold, ensuring it remains healthy and green all year round, even in challenging weather conditions.

3. Minimal Maintenance Requirements. One significant advantage of zoysia grass is its minimal maintenance requirements. Its slow growth rate means it needs to be mowed less frequently than other grass types—50% less than Bermudagrass varieties. Additionally, zoysia grass forms a dense mat that suppresses weed growth, reducing the need for herbicides and other weed control measures. Its low nutrient requirements lead to reduced fertilizer usage, saving costs and minimizing environmental impact; zoysia can thrive on only 30% of the nitrogen needed for Bermudagrass.
   
   
4. It’s Highly Resistant To Wear And Tear. Golf courses experience significant foot traffic and mechanical stress from equipment. Zoysia grass is highly resistant to wear and tear, making it an ideal choice for fairways, tees, and greens. Its dense and resilient turf can withstand repeated use without considerable damage, ensuring a smooth and consistent playing surface. Zoysia divots are approximately one-third the size of Bermudagrass divots and recover quickly from stems and rhizomes.
   
   
5. Zoysia Is More Shade Tolerant. Unlike other types of warm-season grass, zoysia grass demonstrates outstanding shade tolerance. This trait is especially beneficial for golf courses with tree-lined fairways or areas that receive limited sunlight. Zoysia grass can thrive in partial shade while preserving its appearance and playability, even in less-than-ideal lighting. For instance, zoysia green varieties like Prizm and Lazer need only 50% of the sunlight that Bermuda varieties require.
   
   
6. You Will Need Less Water. Water management is crucial for maintaining golf courses, especially in areas prone to drought or with limited water supplies. Zoysia grass possesses a deep root system that allows it to extract moisture from deeper soil layers, reducing the need for frequent irrigation. This water efficiency leads to significant cost savings and environmental benefits, enabling golf courses to conserve valuable water resources. Stadium zoysia removes the need for overseeding, which lowers expenses on water, seed, fertilizer, mowing, and downtime during spring and fall transitions.
   
   
7. Enhanced Aesthetics. Aesthetics are vital to a golf course's overall experience. Zoysia grass features a fine texture and retains its color and density throughout the seasons, ensuring the course looks well-maintained and appealing year-round. It also greens up earlier and stays green longer than Bermuda varieties.
   
   
8. You Will Mow Less Often. Zoysia's lower nitrogen requirements and reduced mowing needs make it environmentally friendly and cost-effective to maintain over the long term. Additionally, less mowing results in a lower impact on players and less noise, creating a more tranquil playing experience.

THE THREE MOST POPULAR VARIETIES

There are three varieties you should consider.

Zeon Zoysia. Introduced in the late '90s, Zeon Zoysia has established itself as the standard for fairways and tees. Its vibrant green color, shade tolerance, cold resistance, and low nitrogen requirements have set it as a benchmark for quality.

Stadium Zoysia. Bladerunner Farms launched Stadium two years ago. It is a newer variety of fairway and tee grass with a dark green color akin to ryegrass. It features a slower vertical growth rate and enhanced disease resistance, quickly becoming a favorite among high-end courses nationwide.

Prizm Zoysia is a unique variety from Bladerunner that can be used “through the green.” Its fine texture makes it suitable for putting surfaces and allows for higher mowing on fairways. Prizm shares similar cold, shade, and wear tolerances with other zoysia varieties while featuring a robust rhizome system. Furthermore, it requires less coverage than ultra-dwarf types.

In summary, zoysia grass is an excellent choice for golf courses because of its durability, low maintenance requirements, and aesthetic appeal.