Why might Kentucky Bluegrass be used for fairways instead of creeping bentgrass?

Why might Kentucky Bluegrass be used for fairways instead of creeping bentgrass?

• A. Higher drought tolerance
• B. Superior color
• C. Superior wear tolerance
• D. Decreased maintenance requirements

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is that the choice of turfgrass for fairways often comes down to how much maintenance is required to keep it playing well. Creeping bentgrass looks superb and can be very smooth, but it demands a lot of management on fairways: frequent mowing to very low heights, precise irrigation schedules, regular fertilization, and a robust disease and pest control program. That level of input translates to higher costs and labor, and more opportunities for turf problems if any part of the program slips. Kentucky bluegrass, by contrast, provides acceptable playability and wear resistance with a significantly lighter maintenance footprint. It tends to be deeper-rooted and more drought-tolerant than bentgrass, and it doesn’t require the same intensity of mowing, irrigation, and inputs. So, the best reason to use Kentucky bluegrass on fairways instead of creeping bentgrass is its decreased maintenance requirements.

The main idea here is that the choice of turfgrass for fairways often comes down to how much maintenance is required to keep it playing well. Creeping bentgrass looks superb and can be very smooth, but it demands a lot of management on fairways: frequent mowing to very low heights, precise irrigation schedules, regular fertilization, and a robust disease and pest control program. That level of input translates to higher costs and labor, and more opportunities for turf problems if any part of the program slips. Kentucky bluegrass, by contrast, provides acceptable playability and wear resistance with a significantly lighter maintenance footprint. It tends to be deeper-rooted and more drought-tolerant than bentgrass, and it doesn’t require the same intensity of mowing, irrigation, and inputs. So, the best reason to use Kentucky bluegrass on fairways instead of creeping bentgrass is its decreased maintenance requirements.