I can count on one hand, probably only needing three fingers, the number of times the grass around the pool has come up on my USGA Course Consulting Service visits. It just isn’t something that most superintendents rank highly compared to everything they manage on the course. However, people that enjoy using the pool in the summer have expectations and poor turf around the pool area can lead to complaints.
If your facility has a pool area with turf in or around it, consider zoysiagrass if you’re in an area that supports warm-season grasses. I have seen it used at a few courses that have a lot of grass around their pool, playgrounds and other non-golf areas that receive a lot of traffic, shade, salty pool water and general abuse during the busy summer months.
Where many cool-season grasses may struggle, zoysiagrass can handle these difficult settings with limited management when the weather is hot and humid. Zoysiagrass does not need a lot of water or fertilizer either. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, when the pool is in full swing and there isn’t time or a desire to spend extra time in this area, hit the “simple button” and plant grass that does the hard work for you.
Northeast Region Agronomists:
Darin Bevard, senior director, Championship Agronomy – dbevard@usga.org
Elliott L. Dowling, regional director, East Region – edowling@usga.org
Brian Gietka, agronomist – bgietka@usga.org
Information on the USGA’s Course Consulting Service
Contact the Green Section Staff