Path to perfection: Transforming golf courses with grass paths
Golf course design has always aimed to combine functionality with beauty, and a growing trend among mid to high-end golf courses involves using grass paths to enhance the aesthetics of their course.
We have worked with course managers who have transitioned their pathways between greens, greens to tees, or tees to fairways, from traditional materials such as red granite, cinder or artificial turf to grass which is a more attractive and an eco-friendly alternative.
Why golf paths?
The benefits are clear, placing this upgrade high on the priority list for many ambitious clubs. Course managers who have adopted grass paths report several key benefits:
- Seamless appearance: Offers a natural grassed look that enhances the overall course aesthetics.
- Improved golfer experience: Provides a more pleasant environment over gravels or artificial grass.
- Defined play area: Clearly defines rough areas and course boundaries.
- Machinery travel: Enables mowers and carts to access areas without driving over restricted zones.
Choosing the right grass
When transitioning to grass paths, the grass species you choose plays a vital role. If you're considering overseeding instead of complete turfing, Dwarf Ryegrass is the best choice.
But which variety suits your course best? The decision comes down to budget, maintenance capacity, and expectations.
For a mid-range budget: Traditional Dwarf Ryegrass (included in our A30 mixture) is suitable for clubs with moderate maintenance. It establishes quickly, outcompetes meadow grasses with regular overseeding, and tolerates foot traffic, weather and occasional mowing.
For high-end expectations: Ultrafine Dwarf Ryegrass (included in our A5 mixture) delivers a finer appearance, allowing for tighter mowing and enhancing the course’s visual appeal.
Installation process
If a full herbicide kill-off isn’t an option, start by heavily scarifying the existing grass and overseeding using your preferred method. Once the ryegrass is established, repeat the process to remove shallow-rooted, undesirable grasses. For optimal results, apply seed at 20g/m².
Turfing is also an option, often including a mix of ryegrass and fescue. Monitor high-traffic areas for potential fescue decline and overseed with ryegrass to prevent meadow grass invasion.
Maintaining your grass path
Regular topdressing improves firmness, drainage and provides a smoother surface for mowing. It also keeps golfers' shoes and socks dry!
For nutrition, budget for nitrogen applications; a standard soil-based lawn or pitch needs around 250kg of nitrogen per year to maintain a healthy sward. Hard-wearing grasses, such as ryegrass, benefit from higher and more regular applications of nitrogen.
Long-term benefits
While the initial investment in installing grass paths might seem daunting, the long-term benefits are significant.
Grass paths enhance the course's aesthetics and can cut costs and labour by leaving the surrounding grass unmown. This not only defines the pathways but also makes the course more visually appealing and satisfying for golfers.
Ready to upgrade your course?
Contact our experts to discuss the best grass seed options for creating your grass paths.