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  • Warm-season grasses, like bermudagrass can outcompete cool-season grasses during the summer months and cause serious encroachment issues.
  • Warm-season grass encroachment in cool-season putting greens is unattractive, especially during winter months when warm-season turns light brown.
  • Warm-season grass encroachment can cause playability issues.
  • A combination of mechanical and chemical edging can help suppress warm-season grass encroachment into cool-season putting greens.

Producing and maintaining cool-season putting greens that are free of contamination from warm-season grasses growing immediately adjacent to the greens is a significant challenge. Warm-season grasses – such as bermudagrass, kikuyugrass, seashore paspalum and zoysiagrass – will outcompete cool-season grasses like bentgrass and Poa annua during the hot summer months. This is because the warm-season grasses are able to fix carbon dioxide more efficiently than cool-season grasses under hot temperatures. Consequently, warm-season grass growing in putting green collars or approaches often will grow into a putting surface occupied by cool-season grasses. This presents a problem for both aesthetics and playability.