Bent grass
Bent, also known as bentgrass, is a fine-leaved grass species from which many high-quality greens are built.
Bentgrass forms a dense, fine turf that can be cut very short and lets the ball roll smoothly and quickly. For exactly this reason it is considered the classic green grass in Central Europe and on the traditional links courses. The varieties react sensitively to heat and waterlogging and need intensive care with aeration, spiking and regular mowing. On the green you notice the difference immediately: putts hold their line without hopping or breaking away.
For your game this means above all one thing: a reliable putting line. An example: you stand on a bent green over a four-metre putt with a slight break from the left. Because the surface is even and dense, you can trust the line and simply let the ball roll, instead of factoring in unevenness. On older mixed turf with weed grasses, the same putt would often deviate unpredictably over the last centimetres.
In the everyday life of a golfer, bent also shows itself in the maintenance work. When the greens are aerated or verticut in spring, it looks unsightly for two weeks, but it is exactly what keeps the fine bentgrasses healthy. Whoever understands this takes the temporarily punctured greens with more composure. They are the price for the quality you enjoy for the rest of the season.
FAQ
How do I recognise on the green that bent is being played?
By the fine, dense surface on which the ball rolls smoothly and quickly without hopping. Bentgrass can be cut very short — putts hold their line instead of breaking away over the last centimetres.
Why are bent greens punctured in spring and look bad for weeks?
Because the fine bentgrasses react sensitively to heat and waterlogging and need intensive care. During aeration the soil is ventilated — two weeks unsightly, but exactly this keeps the greens in top quality for the rest of the season.
Do I have to putt differently on bent greens than on mixed turf?
You can trust the putting line more because the surface is even. On older mixed turf with weed grasses you have to factor in unevenness — on bent, almost only the clean read of the green and the right length count.