Is Zoysia Grass Used on Golf Courses?

Yes, zoysia grass is used on golf courses, and it covers tees, fairways, roughs, and a growing number of putting greens. Zeon zoysia carpets the fairways at Trinity Forest Golf Club near Dallas, and TPC Sugarloaf outside Atlanta converted its tees and fairways to Zeon zoysia during a major renovation.

Below we cover which surfaces zoysiagrass holds, which cultivars superintendents plant, which tournament venues play on it, why Augusta National uses something else, and what a homeowner can copy from a zoysia fairway.

Is Zoysia Grass Used on Golf Courses?

Zoysia grass is used on golf courses across tees, fairways, roughs, and putting greens. Superintendents plant zoysiagrass because it delivers a firm playing surface on roughly half the water and inputs that cool-season fairway turf demands. According to the USGA Green Section Record, zoysiagrass fairways require less water than cool-season grasses, carry superior heat tolerance, and present fewer pest concerns.

Fewer pest concerns translate directly into fewer spray applications, and fewer spray applications lower the annual maintenance bill. The USGA estimates that its Green Section programs save American golf courses more than $1.9 billion each year through reduced inputs and better management practices, and low-input grasses like zoysiagrass sit at the center of that math. Roughly 15,000 golf courses operate in the United States, according to DTE Golf, and zoysiagrass has moved from a curiosity to a standard option at a meaningful share of them.

A standard option still needs a home. Zoysiagrass occupies specific surfaces on a golf course, and each surface asks the grass to do a different job.

What Is Zoysia Grass Used For on a Golf Course?

Zoysia grass is used for fairways, tees, roughs, green surrounds, and putting greens on a golf course. Each surface gets a different cultivar and a different height of cut. Texas A&M AggieTurf lists recommended zoysiagrass mowing heights of 0.5 to 1 inch for golf and athletic turf and 0.150 inches or lower for putting greens, with reel mowers required at both heights.

Reel mowers matter because zoysiagrass fights the cutting unit. DTE Golf reports that zoysia fairways are typically held between 0.4 and 0.625 inches, and that the stiff leaves can shift a mower sideways because zoysiagrass carries a high concentration of lignin, the same organic compound that stiffens tree bark. Heavier cutting units and larger reel diameters add downward pressure and hold the line.

That density holds up under traffic too. DTE Golf describes established zoysiagrass as a dense, carpetlike thatch over a thick root system, and that root layer absorbs repeated rounds of foot traffic and cart wear. Many zoysia facilities need only a single core aeration each year to keep the surface healthy, though longer growing seasons and heavier play push some courses to a second pass.

What Grass Do Most Golf Courses Use?

Most golf courses use bermudagrass in warm climates and creeping bentgrass in cool climates, with perennial ryegrass overseeded on southern fairways during winter. Zoysiagrass sits between those two camps and serves courses that want warm-season durability with better winter color and lower inputs. The table below compares the four grasses that cover most American golf turf.

GrassTypical height of cutClimate bandWater demandSurfaces usedNamed venueZoysiagrass0.4 to 0.625 in fairways; 0.150 in or lower greensWarm season, strong cold tolerance, active at 80 to 95 °FLowTees, fairways, roughs, surrounds, greensTrinity Forest Golf ClubBermudagrass0.4 to 0.5 in fairwaysWarm season, limited cold toleranceModerateTees, fairways, roughs, greensAugusta National Golf ClubCreeping bentgrass0.1 in or lower greensCool season, struggles in hot wet weatherHighGreens, some fairwaysAugusta National Golf Club greensPerennial ryegrass overseed0.5 in fairwaysCool season, winter use over dormant warm-season turfHighFairways, tees, roughsAugusta National Golf Club fairways

Sources: USGA Green Section Record; DTE Golf; Texas A&M AggieTurf; Clemson University Home & Garden Information Center; University of Georgia Extension.

Bermudagrass wins on establishment speed and cost. Zoysiagrass wins on inputs and on the quality of the lie, which is the reason a course accepts the slower start.

Is Zoysia Grass Good for Golf?

Yes, zoysia grass is good for golf because it produces a firm, consistent surface that holds the ball up on top of the canopy. Players describe the zoysia lie as sitting on top of a brush, which makes clean contact easier and shot outcomes more predictable. Bobby Jones Links reports that a consistent firm surface improves ball roll and shot precision, and that golfers value that lie enough to drive cultivar decisions at high-end clubs.

Shot precision comes from the canopy geometry. Bobby Jones Links explains that the leaves of the green-type zoysias emerge from the rhizome at 90 degrees, which removes the inherent graininess of bermudagrass. Grain pulls a putt and grabs a wedge, so removing it removes a variable the player cannot see.

What the player also cannot see is how the grass grows. Growth habit varies enormously between zoysia cultivars, and habit decides how the surface plays.

How Does Zoysia Grass Growth Habit Affect Play?

Zoysia grass growth habit affects play by controlling how the leaf blades sit at the surface and how often the grass needs mowing. Micah Woods of the Asian Turfgrass Center lined up five zoysia varieties and skipped mowing for exactly four weeks to demonstrate the difference, and the varieties separated into upright, intermediate, and prostrate habits.

Upright habit pushes the leaf vertically. Woods notes that upright types such as Noshiba work well as rough grass and as lawn turf, because vertical growth gives a fuller stand at a taller height of cut. Prostrate habit runs the leaf horizontally instead, and horizontal growth produces a tight, low surface at tee and fairway height with less mowing to hold it there.

The slowest, finest prostrate types go on greens. Woods points out that many courses plant upright lawn-type zoysias where a prostrate type would play better, and that the reverse mistake happens too. Matching habit to surface is the decision that separates a good zoysia course from a disappointing one.

Is Zoysia Better Than Bermuda for Golf Fairways?

Zoysia is better than bermuda for golf fairways on lie quality, water use, and winter color, and bermuda is better on establishment speed and recovery rate. DTE Golf describes zoysiagrass as a front runner over previous fairway favorites including bermudagrass and bentgrass, because zoysiagrass stays green longer, conserves more water, and asks for less maintenance once established.

Staying green longer changes the winter program. NG Turf reports that TPC Sugarloaf stopped overseeding entirely after converting its tees and fairways to Zeon zoysia, because Zeon spends less time dormant than the GN1 bermudagrass it replaced. Dropping the overseed removed a recurring annual cost from the budget.

Recovery is where bermudagrass keeps its edge. Bermudagrass heals divots and traffic scars faster, so heavily played public courses often stay with it, while zoysiagrass tends to land at clubs that can absorb a slower install and value the surface.

What Kind of Zoysia Grass Do Golf Courses Use?

Golf courses use named zoysia cultivars matched to each surface rather than generic zoysiagrass. Zeon and Zorro dominate fairways and tees, while Trinity, Primo, Lazer, and Prizm were bred for putting greens. Texas A&M AggieTurf notes that at least 11 zoysia species are used as turfgrass, which is why cultivar names carry more meaning than the species name.

The cultivars a superintendent chooses from include:

• Zeon zoysia: fine-bladed fairway and tee standard, with shade tolerance strong enough that TPC Sugarloaf moved shaded tees to it, according to NG Turf.
• Zorro zoysia: slightly higher maintenance, holds color late into winter, and was voted the highest quality turf variety by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program, as reported by DTE Golf.
• Trinity zoysia (L1F): greens and tee surface cultivar used at Trinity Forest Golf Club and on the greens at Grove XXIII, per Golf Course Industry.
• JaMur and Cutlass zoysia: rough grasses, used together at Trinity Forest where JaMur covers the rough with Cutlass accents.
• Primo and Lazer zoysia: greens-type releases from the Bladerunner Farms breeding program, both entered in national putting green trials.
• Prizm zoysia: a through-the-green cultivar with a strong rhizome system, fine enough for putting surfaces and able to be mowed higher on fairways, according to Bobby Jones Links.
• Meyer zoysia (Z-52): medium-coarse and cold hardy, described by Clemson University as spreading faster than most other zoysiagrass, which makes it a lawn and rough workhorse rather than a fairway cultivar.

Six of those seven cultivars barely existed on golf courses a generation ago. The greens-type group is the newest arrival and the biggest change.

Can Zoysia Grass Be Used on Putting Greens?

Yes, zoysia grass can be used on putting greens, and four cultivars are now grown specifically for that surface. Golf Course Trades reports that Primo, Trinity, Lazer, and Prizm zoysia represent 30 years of research and development at Bladerunner Farms, and that the farm sponsored seven of the ten zoysia entries in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program's 2013 national warm-season putting green test.

Trial data alone does not put grass in the ground. Bladerunner also runs more than 50 test sites across the United States at working golf facilities, where superintendents report back on grow-in, mowing, water use, disease pressure, cold tolerance, and shade tolerance. Real-world feedback from working courses is what moved greens-type zoysia from research plots onto scorecards.

Those scorecards now include recognizable names.

What PGA Courses Have Zoysia Grass?

PGA courses with zoysia grass include Trinity Forest Golf Club, Atlanta Athletic Club, TPC Sugarloaf, Bluejack National, Grove XXIII, and Cordillera Ranch. Trinity Forest Golf Club, longtime host of the AT&T Byron Nelson, was grassed with Trinity zoysia tees, Zeon zoysia fairways, and JaMur zoysia roughs with Cutlass accents, according to Golf Course Industry.

Championship golf reached zoysia fairways before that. The Turfgrass Group reports that the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club was the first major played on the new zoysiagrass fairways, after superintendent Ken Mangum chose Zeon zoysia for the Riverside Course, and the firmness, color, and density of those fairways drew heavy broadcast attention.

Course architects followed. Golfdom reports that Gil Hanse's 2016 Olympic golf course was grassed with Zeon zoysia on both fairways and greens, and that Bluejack National outside Houston, Trinity Forest in Dallas, and The Golf Club of Texas in San Antonio all rolled out zoysia playing surfaces in the same period. Cordillera Ranch near Boerne, Texas was among the first courses to carry Zeon zoysia on tees and fairways.

Renovations keep adding to the list. NG Turf reports that TPC Sugarloaf, a 27-hole Greg Norman design in Duluth, Georgia inside the PGA Tour's TPC network, switched from GN1 bermudagrass to Zeon zoysia on tees and fairways during a three-year, $20 million project that won the 2020 Renovation of the Year award from Golf Inc.

One famous course is missing from every one of those lists.

What Kind of Grass Is on Augusta National Greens?

The grass on Augusta National greens is creeping bentgrass, not zoysiagrass. University of Georgia Extension confirms that the greens at Augusta National are a bentgrass variety, while the tees and fairways sit on a hybrid bermudagrass base.

That bermudagrass base disappears every fall. UGA Extension explains that the bermudagrass tees and fairways are scalped down and heavily overseeded with perennial ryegrass, a cool-season species that grows lush and green through fall and spring so the course peaks for April. The ryegrass is then removed with herbicides and mowing once May arrives, which returns management to the bermudagrass underneath.

So the greenest course on television runs no zoysiagrass at all. Augusta's program works because a single tournament week justifies an overseed cycle that almost no other facility would attempt, which is exactly the input load that pushes other clubs toward zoysia.

What Is the Hardest Grass to Play Golf On?

The hardest grass to play golf on is thick, grainy bermudagrass rough, because dense stolons wrap the clubhead and the grain direction changes how the ball sits. Grain is the specific culprit, and Bobby Jones Links notes that the 90-degree leaf emergence of green-type zoysias eliminates the graininess that bermudagrass carries.

Zoysiagrass creates a different challenge. The canopy is so dense that a ball can perch high on top of it, and DTE Golf notes that mowing height should be adjusted for player skill, since a higher cut plays easier for beginners while a lower cut rewards experienced golfers. Poa annua brings a third problem, producing abundant seedheads that leave a bumpy putting surface.

Every one of those differences traces back to climate, because climate decides which grass a course can grow at all.

Does Zoysia Grass Work in the Transition Zone?

Yes, zoysia grass works in the transition zone, and cold tolerance is the reason. Clemson University reports that zoysiagrass cultivars rank among the most cold-tolerant warm-season grasses available, which lets them survive winters that damage bermudagrass. The USGA Green Section Record makes the same point, noting that many zoysiagrass cultivars tolerate cold temperatures well and provide excellent winter playability.

Winter playability has limits. Clemson notes that zoysiagrass grows best during the warm months of spring, summer, and early fall at 80 to 95 °F, turns brown with the first fall frost, and stays dormant through winter. Dormancy is a color change rather than a death, and the stand greens back up as soil temperatures climb in late spring.

Cultivar choice controls how much winter the stand can absorb.

Does Zoysia Grass Grow Well in Alabama?

Yes, zoysia grass grows well in Alabama, and it is one of the strongest choices for yards across Huntsville and Madison where winter cold rules out the most heat-loving turf options. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System publishes a full-season maintenance calendar covering zoysia alongside bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass, which reflects how established the grass is in this state.

Cultivar selection changes by yard. Clemson describes Meyer zoysiagrass as medium-coarse with good cold tolerance and faster spread, Emerald as finer textured with better shade tolerance but less winter hardiness, and Zeon as fine textured with good shade tolerance, good drought tolerance, and tolerance for wet growing conditions. A shaded north-facing yard and a full-sun front yard call for different cultivars, which is a decision we make during landscape design rather than at delivery.

Zoysia is also one option among several for this climate, and we walk homeowners through the best grass type for their specific lot before anything gets ordered.

What Is Zoysia Grass Used For Besides Golf Courses?

Besides golf courses, zoysia grass is used for home lawns, sports fields, parks, and commercial grounds. The same density that holds up under cart traffic makes zoysiagrass a strong choice for a yard that gets used. Clemson notes that several zoysiagrass species and cultivars serve different parts of the landscape, and that the grass forms excellent turf when properly established and managed.

Establishment is where homeowners and superintendents face the same problem. Zoysiagrass spreads by rhizomes below the surface and stolons above it, and both spread slowly compared with bermudagrass.

Is Zoysia Grass Installed as Sod or Seed?

Zoysia grass is installed as sod for nearly every fine-textured cultivar, because most of them produce little or no viable seed. DTE Golf notes that zoysiagrass typically requires complete sodding, that establishment costs more than other turf types as a result, and that seed, sprigs, and sod stripping all work but demand far more time and expertise.

Time is the real cost. A slow-spreading grass leaves open soil where weeds can establish, so a partially covered zoysia stand competes for months before it closes. Sod removes that window by delivering full coverage on day one, which is why we handle nearly all residential zoysia work as sod installation.

Sod also rewards preparation and punishes shortcuts. Poor grading, buried debris, and skipped soil work show up as thin patches within the first season, and we have written up the sod installation mistakes that cause most of those failures.

How Do You Get Golf Course Quality Zoysia in a Home Lawn?

You get golf course quality zoysia in a home lawn by matching the cultivar to the site, correcting drainage before installation, and holding a consistent mowing and fertility program afterward. Course conditions come from the program, not from the sod pallet. The sequence we follow looks like this:

1. Soil test first. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System recommends a soil test specific to the property, because it returns accurate fertilizer and lime recommendations instead of guesses.
2. Correct grade and drainage. DTE Golf states plainly that wet or poorly drained soils cannot effectively host zoysiagrass, so water has to move before grass goes down.
3. Amend the root zone. Compacted clay limits rooting depth, and soil amendment gives the rhizomes something to spread through.
4. Match the cultivar to sun exposure. Fine-textured cultivars with proven shade tolerance go in shaded zones, and cold-hardy cultivars go where winter exposure is worst.
5. Install sod on prepared soil. Full coverage on day one closes the weed window that slow zoysia establishment would otherwise leave open, and our landscape installation crews grade and lay the same week.
6. Hold the mowing and fertility program. Texas A&M AggieTurf recommends 1 to 2 inches for home lawns and 1 to 3 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System recommends a 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer at 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.

Step six is the one that separates a fairway look from a struggling yard, because mowing is the single most repeated decision in the program.

How Often Should Zoysia Grass Be Mowed?

Zoysia grass should be mowed every 7 to 10 days during the growing season, and never by more than one-third of the blade at a time. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System sets the one-third rule as a general standard for warm-season lawns, and cutting deeper than that scalps the canopy and opens brown patches.

Scalping is easier on zoysiagrass than on other lawn grasses because the leaf resists the blade. DTE Golf attributes that resistance to lignin content, and a dull rotary blade tears a lignin-stiff leaf instead of cutting it, which leaves a frayed gray tip across the whole lawn. Sharp blades fix most of it, and a reel mower fixes the rest on fine-textured cultivars.

Mowing frequency also drops as the stand matures. DTE Golf notes that the consistent growth rate of zoysiagrass keeps upkeep simple and that some courses mow as little as once a week, which is a lighter schedule than bermudagrass accepts. New sod is the exception, since new sod needs to root before it takes a first cut.

How Much Water Does Zoysia Grass Need?

Zoysia grass needs less water than most turfgrasses, and overwatering hurts it more than underwatering. DTE Golf reports that zoysiagrass requires significantly less water than other turf varieties, conserves it more effectively, and weakens under overwatering, growing more susceptible to disease as the root zone stays oversaturated. Rhizoctonia solani is the specific fungus that follows excess water and excess fertilizer.

Excess water is a North Alabama problem more than a drought problem. Heavy clay holds winter rainfall at the surface, and turf sitting in saturated soil declines regardless of cultivar. NG Turf reports that TPC Sugarloaf had to add a substantial amount of fairway drainage during its zoysia conversion, specifically to keep the new grass from failing in areas that trended wet.

Courses budget for that work, and yards need the same treatment. Correcting the water path with drainage solutions before sod arrives protects the investment for the life of the lawn.

Can Atrazine Be Used on Zoysia Grass?

Yes, atrazine can be used on zoysia grass, and several atrazine formulations list zoysiagrass on the label. The University of Georgia turf weed control guide lists atrazine as labeled for zoysiagrass among other warm-season turf, with Aatrex 4L at 1.0 to 2.0 quarts per acre, and recommends application dates of September 1 to 15 in north Georgia for annual bluegrass and selected winter annual weeds.

Timing and status carry conditions. The LSU AgCenter classifies atrazine as a restricted use product, limits applications to 1 quart per acre per application, and notes that it is safely applied to zoysia in late fall or early winter. Late fall and early winter timing exists for a reason, since triazine herbicides are far safer on warm-season turf that has slowed or gone dormant than on turf pushing new growth in summer heat.

Label language governs every one of those details. Not every consumer atrazine product lists zoysiagrass, restricted use status varies by state, and some watersheds prohibit atrazine outright, so the product label and your state extension service decide the answer for a specific yard rather than a general rule.

Herbicide is also the last lever, not the first. Dense zoysiagrass suppresses weeds on its own, and the weed control methods that work best start with a thick stand, correct mowing height, and preemergent timing. When a stand has already lost that battle, weed infestation repair takes priority over spot spraying.

What Is the Downside of Zoysia Grass?

The downside of zoysia grass is slow establishment, sod-only installation for fine cultivars, winter dormancy color, thatch buildup, and sensitivity to poorly drained soil. Every one of those has a known fix.

Slow establishment is solved by sod. DTE Golf notes that zoysiagrass typically requires complete sodding and that establishment costs more than other turf types, while most facilities see a dramatic drop in maintenance costs afterward. The higher install and the lower upkeep are two halves of the same trade.

Winter dormancy is a color window, not a loss. Clemson notes that zoysiagrass browns with the first fall frost and stays dormant through winter, and DTE Golf notes that zoysiagrass retains color longer than the alternatives, which shortens that window compared with bermudagrass.

Thatch responds to fertility control and aeration. DTE Golf notes that many zoysia facilities need only single core aeration per year, and Clemson warns that over-fertilized fine-textured cultivars build excess thatch quickly, which makes restrained feeding the primary control.

Spread into beds responds to hard edges. Zoysiagrass runs by rhizome and stolon, so a defined bed edge stops it before it becomes a hand-weeding chore, and landscape fabric alone rarely holds a running warm-season grass, as we covered when testing whether weed paper stops bermudagrass.

Drainage sensitivity is the one that ends stands. Saturated soil kills zoysiagrass regardless of cultivar, which is why grade and water movement come before sod on every project we run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Zoysia Grass Go Dormant in Winter?

Yes, zoysia grass goes dormant in winter and turns brown with the first fall frost, according to Clemson University. Dormancy is a normal seasonal response rather than turf loss, and the stand greens back up as soil temperatures rise in late spring. Irrigation should taper as growth slows, and we cover the timing in our post on fall watering.

Does Zoysia Grass Grow in Shade?

Yes, zoysia grass grows in shade better than most warm-season grasses, though results depend on cultivar. Clemson reports that Emerald zoysiagrass carries more shade tolerance than Meyer, and that Zeon shows good shade tolerance along with drought tolerance. NG Turf reports that TPC Sugarloaf specifically moved shaded tees to Zeon zoysia because bermudagrass was struggling in those areas.

How Long Does Zoysia Sod Take to Root?

Zoysia sod takes roughly two to three weeks to root under warm growing conditions, and longer as soil temperatures fall. Clemson notes that zoysiagrass grows vigorously at 80 to 95 °F, so late spring and early summer installations root fastest. Consistent moisture without saturation drives that rooting window.

Is Zoysia Grass Better Than Bermuda for a Home Lawn?

Zoysia grass is better than bermuda for a home lawn on density, shade tolerance, and mowing frequency, and bermuda is better on recovery speed and install cost. DTE Golf notes that zoysiagrass stays green longer, conserves more water, and asks for less maintenance once established. Bermudagrass heals damage faster, which favors lawns with heavy dog or play traffic.

Does Zoysia Grass Need Aeration?

Yes, zoysia grass needs aeration, though less often than other dense turf. DTE Golf reports that many golf facilities find a single core aeration each year sufficient, with a second pass added for longer growing seasons and heavier traffic. Home lawns follow the same logic, since aeration relieves compaction and reduces thatch accumulation.

Is Zoysia Grass Hard to Maintain?

No, zoysia grass is not hard to maintain once established, and its input demands run lower than most alternatives. Texas A&M AggieTurf recommends 1 to 3 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year with weekly mowing for home lawns, which is a modest program. The difficulty sits in establishment and site preparation rather than in ongoing care.

The Bottom Line

Zoysia grass is used on golf courses across tees, fairways, roughs, and putting greens, and named cultivars including Zeon, Zorro, Trinity, Primo, Lazer, and Prizm carry those surfaces at venues from Trinity Forest to TPC Sugarloaf to the 2016 Olympic course. Courses accept a slower, costlier install because zoysiagrass returns a firmer surface, a cleaner lie without bermudagrass grain, lower water use, and fewer spray applications. Augusta National runs bermudagrass and ryegrass over bentgrass greens instead, which shows how much input load a course accepts when it chooses against a low-maintenance warm-season grass.

That same math works on residential ground. A zoysia lawn asks for correct grading and drainage first, a cultivar matched to sun exposure second, and a steady mowing and fertility program after that. Get those three right and the yard holds the density and color that put zoysiagrass on tournament fairways in the first place. If you are weighing zoysia for your own property, the team at White Shovel Landscapes is glad to walk the site with you and talk through what the soil and the sun exposure will support, and a free estimate is an easy place to start.

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