Why are new greens always fast?

[joekelly]

I recently read regarding Doral, which underwent a renovation of most greens, that such greens are usually (always?) very fast. So if this is true, (new green = fast green) i wonder why true.  The only notion i can offer is that the grass, (sod?) has an immature root bed thus the surface of the green is closer to the underlying sand.  This may make the grass less dense and harder, thus faster. Or maybe the immediate layer beneath the turf is denser due to fewer roots.

But something must be making the surface 'harder' or 'firmer' to help create more ball speed over the surface.

Any ideas on this topic from greenkeepers?

[caniac6]

The lack of an organic (thatch) layer on new greens means less cushioning for shots. They mentioned a lack of grain on these greens, so they probably have had a pretty agressive verticutting program that would further reduce the thatch layer. When I've played on bermuda greens, the grass is so dense that the ball hardley makes a ball mark, and when you can find a ball mark, it's hard to get the divot tool in the green. A course near me converted to bermuda from bent about three years ago, and players are still complaining about the firmness of the new greens.

[wils5150]

The lack of an organic (thatch) layer on new greens means less cushioning for shots. They mentioned a lack of grain on these greens, so they probably have had a pretty agressive verticutting program that would further reduce the thatch layer. When I've played on bermuda greens, the grass is so dense that the ball hardley makes a ball mark, and when you can find a ball mark, it's hard to get the divot tool in the green. A course near me converted to bermuda from bent about three years ago, and players are still complaining about the firmness of the new greens.

pretty much sums it up. I would assume they did drainage work too. a dry green is a firm greeen

[cfritchie]

"FAST" and no thatch are not something that goes hand in hand. A soft green can still be very fast, a hard green can still be slow. The greens at Doral were both. Hard and fast.....they will soften up as the root system gets more substantial, the speed is determined more by how they are mowed and how dry they let them get.