[excholza]

Ok guys, I will be playing on a course I have never played before down south this week, and it is entirely bermuda. I am only used to bent grass (every course around here is bent grass). So, I searched and read Bridges' thread asking what types of grass were most common, but now I want to ask you guys this: What would be your biggest tip for someone who has never played a bermuda grass course? Putting, rough, chipping, etc anything I might need to know to conquer the course. Oh, and it's also semi-links style. Wonderful.

Thanks guys,
BulldogsGolf

[Jimambol]

In the rough, watch to see if the ball is sitting up. I generally play the ball back and choke down to eliminate as much grass interaction as possible. Stay aggressive through the swing, bermuda tends to grab. It's easy to get under the ball in bermuda rough.

Grain on the greens can be very tricky. At my course, the grain usually runs North to South. There are different rules of thumb for the grain (setting sun, prevailing wind or water drainage), but getting a handle on it is important, even on short putts. You can also tell which way the grain is growing by looking at the cup, the burned and rougher edge is generally the direction the grain is growing towards (the burned edge). Into the grain, the putts will be slower, down grain, faster. As putts die, depending on the grain, it can cause it to break more or sometimes less than expected. It's tricky and takes some getting used to.

You also have to watch the grain on your chips, grain growing into you can be troublesome on tight lies, down grain they are easier. Stay aggressive on those shots where the club is going to strike into the grain.

If you hit a divot in the fairway, don't replace it, it won't grow, just fill it with sand and move on.

[Stengapsept]

Our greens are bermuda and reading the grain really helps to determine if the putt is going to be slow or fast, break left or right, etc. Bermuda greens are typically slower than Bent greens so you may need a firmer stroke. I really struggle with the speed differences when I move from bermuda to bent without practicing on the green before I play. Make sure you take the time to do that if you can.

[irresseni]

Don't be a whimp with your putts. Be firm, and have confidence. Bermuda rough is fairly beefy, so you will get some fluffy lies. Be ready for that.

Reading the grain is tough for a first timer, so just remember that putts tend to break towards water. Do this and you will be okay.

[isogeople]

It's all about speed for putting like KB said. It takes a bit of time to get used to it. If you have limited time then I'd practice speed over reading grain. Do a quick look at the cup to see the direction of the grain (it's the quickest way to read it and you look for the "overhang"). Majority of greens play to where the water drains. 9 times out of 10, it's to a body of water. Last thing is if the wind is swirling, take a look at the nearest body of water (if you're playing in FL there'll be plenty) and look at the ripples and which way they are going (it never lies). The biggest thing is when you go back to bent. Don't be surprised to blast a couple of putts past the hole at first.

[excholza]

Thanks for the help guys! Guess Ill be reading grain quite heavily for the next few days!

[barsikjal]

Don't be a whimp with your putts. Be firm, and have confidence.

Reading the grain is tough for a first timer, so just remember that putts tend to break towards water. Do this and you will be okay.

But don't be over firm on down-grain putts. On some Bermuda greens a down-grain putt might roll out 50% more than you expect, leaving you a 8-10 footer coming back instead of what would be a 2-3 footer into the grain.

One way to check is watch your approach shot - if it stops quickly it is probably going into the grain and you can putt a little firmer. If the approach rolls out what seems like a crazy amount - you hit it well and expected it to stop - then you know the grain is running away from you and can putt coming back accordingly.

Putts and chips into the grain will break more and sooner. Putts and chips down grain will break less and later and can keep running out.

Chipping from Bermuda rough can be tricky if the grass is "clumpy" - it can grab the club/hosel. You also may find a chip you think will have a lot of spin on it just keep rolling because of the grain, or play one to roll out just stop because of the grain. So try to read the grain when chipping, too, not just when putting.

As for hitting full shots from the rough, as mentioned above, it can be a mixed bag. Easy to get a little fluffy flier lie but also likely to drop dead any be almost burried, especially in longer bermuda, and when that happens just expect to lose a lot of carry because it will grab your club and suck all the power out of your swing. Sometimes laying up is the better part of valor from heavy bermuda rough, especially over water.

We make it all sound terrible don't we? But well maintained, healthy bermuda can be fantastic to play on, it just has quirks like any other grass. Once you get a feel for it you don't even think about it, like reading the wind, you just get a sense for how it will react and go with it.

[Jimambol]

We make it all sound terrible don't we? But well maintained, healthy bermuda can be fantastic to play on, it just has quirks like any other grass. Once you get a feel for it you don't even think about it, like reading the wind, you just get a sense for how it will react and go with it.

Well said. I actually like playing on it quite a bit!

[irresseni]

I love bermuda, but I like bent greens the best.

[gfkasjhfg]

It's pretty simple really.....ball first contact and it won't really matter what type of rough or fairway you're hitting out of. I also think that folks spend way too much time worrying about grains and the direction on the greens. Read them like any other put, trust your line and putt it. Just go play golf.

[soydaykam]

It's pretty simple really.....ball first contact and it won't really matter what type of rough or fairway you're hitting out of. I also think that folks spend way too much time worrying about grains and the direction on the greens. Read them like any other put, trust your line and putt it. Just go play golf.

Very well put! Grass is grass, and it all acts a little different, and it all has it's little tricks!
Don't over think what you are doing, and just play. Putting against the grain always slows down the ball, but a few practice putts will help you gauge the speeds.

[Catieliecutty]

Pick your line and whack away!

[cialviagra]

I almost exclusively played Bermuda till about a week ago.

Of the grain goes with the slope, it will break a little more than you think, if it goes against the slope, it will break a little less than you think. Be very careful on down grain, down hill putts as they can really take off on ya. Hit up grain putts just a bit harder than you think you have to. You can really be aggressive on uphill, upgrain shots as they can die pretty quickly. On the practice green, make sure you putt each kind of putt to see how it acts.


TapaTalk: Killing my phone's battery since 2010.

[limpoporanique]

Pick your line and whack away!

This is what I always do!

[excholza]

As I said, this will be my first time playing bermuda grass and my friend who plays there all the time says its a world of difference from the Bent Grass greens up here

[Waymninelia]

As I said, this will be my first time playing bermuda grass and my friend who plays there all the time says its a world of difference from the Bent Grass greens up here

I say have a great time. I don't care if I putt on sanded down greens . I only care that I'm There enjoy. Next time wont be your first....

[erepsysoulperj]

Thanks for the tips in this thread from everyone. I'm heading down to FL in a week and if I'm not mistaken it's just about all bermuda grass right?

[soydaykam]

Thanks for the tips in this thread from everyone. I'm heading down to FL in a week and if I'm not mistaken it's just about all bermuda grass right?

There is a lot of it, but you also find others...
One of the 9 hole courses I play uses bent for the greens and Bermuda for the rest... but you will find all bent grass as well.

[VovTortki]

It's pretty simple really.....ball first contact and it won't really matter what type of rough or fairway you're hitting out of. I also think that folks spend way too much time worrying about grains and the direction on the greens. Read them like any other put, trust your line and putt it. Just go play golf.

So simple and so true. Thanks TC.

[Polopolop]

It's pretty simple really.....ball first contact and it won't really matter what type of rough or fairway you're hitting out of. I also think that folks spend way too much time worrying about grains and the direction on the greens. Read them like any other put, trust your line and putt it. Just go play golf.

I agree with this but would add one bit of advice for people who die the putt into the hole on bent. They should firm it into the hole on any putt except down slope down grain. Grain will really move a dying putt. Putt it firm with confidence.