AGR-282: Warm-Season Native Areas for Kentucky Golf Courses

Kenneth Clayton, Elizabeth Johnson | Sep. 25, 2024 (New)

The average golf course has a median footprint of about 150 acres, and natural or native vegetation covers approximately 17% of these acres. Golf courses often provide large green spaces in urban areas. Not all of these areas are highly maintained turfgrass; some are cultivated as native areas. Native areas may be defined as those areas on the golf course receiving very infrequent mowing and composed of one or more of the following: native warm-season grasses (NWSG), fine fescues, wildflowers, or previously maintained turfgrass allowed to reach maturity. Although golf courses may use species in these areas that are not native to Kentucky, this publication will focus on the utilization of native warm-season grasses. Colloquially, these parts of the golf course are referred to as native areas, native roughs, low-mow areas, or no-mow areas. For the purposes of this publication, they are all considered synonymous.