When we consider our sustainability investment goals, our local climate, how to use water wisely, and not forget the golf experience it is good to think about what turfgrass species would be the best for us.
Such and similar thoughts may have crossed the minds of Infinitum‘s greenkeeper team when they replaced Lakes course’ ryegrass with Bermuda Tifway 419 grass as part of the renovation of the fairways and tees.
We like ryegrass for several reasons
- fine-bladed,
- establishes really fast to provide ground cover,
- prevents soil erosion,
- improves soil aeration and nitrogen content,
- tolerating foot traffic very well,
- spreads fast to choke out weeds.
At the same time,
- the maintenance cost of ryegrass is high;
- difficult to eradicate;
- requires a lot of water: the watering schedule is 2 to 3 times a week to keep it healthy and maintain its green color.
- a host plant for several species of bacteria and viruses that can adversely affect other plants;
Infinitum‘s motivation to change to Bermuda Tifway 419 grass was to improve its sustainability records. The course is symbiotic with the gorgeous Séquia Major wetlands serving up a number of exciting water hazards and picturesque Catalan scenery.
In contrast, the Bermuda Tifway 419 grass:
- Less expensive to maintain than TifSport;
- Quick recovery from wear (under proper maintenance/management);
- Highly disease resistant;
- Demands significantly less water and fertilizer than ryegrass;
Complementing the Lakes courses, golfers can also take on the challenging Hills layout, which switches back and forth through a wealth of natural pine trees and towering cliffs.
I have just discovered that we can find BREEAM-certified – the world’s leading science-based suite of validation and certification systems for a sustainable built environment – high-quality homes in Infinitum.
