What Is Paspalum on a Golf Course?
Paspalum: A salt-tolerant warm-season grass for coastal and island courses — can survive ocean spray and brackish water.
Paspalum — full definition
Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) is a salt-tolerant warm-season grass used on coastal and island golf courses where saltwater intrusion, ocean spray, or brackish irrigation water would kill other turf varieties. It produces a fine-textured, dark green surface comparable to bermuda. Found on oceanfront courses in Hawaii, Florida, the Gulf Coast, and Caribbean resort courses. Paspalum can be irrigated with reclaimed or salt-heavy water, making it an environmentally sustainable choice for coastal developments. Notable courses using paspalum include several layouts in Hawaii and high-end coastal resort courses.
Paspalum — frequently asked
Paspalum — what makes it special?
- Tolerates saltwater intrusion, ocean spray, and brackish irrigation water
- Can be irrigated with reclaimed or salt-heavy water
- Environmentally sustainable choice for coastal developments
Paspalum — where is it found?
- Hawaii, Florida, Gulf Coast, and Caribbean resort courses
- Any oceanfront course where salt exposure kills other turf
Paspalum — how does it play?
- Fine-textured, dark green surface comparable to bermuda
More on Paspalum
Paspalum exists for one reason: saltwater. It shows up exactly where the ocean does.
- Golf courses in HawaiiOceanfront courses irrigated with water that would kill bermuda.
- Golf courses in FloridaCoastal and reclaimed-water layouts.
Other grass types
Bermuda Grass
The dominant warm-season turf across the southern United States — dense, grainy, and affects ball roll.
Bentgrass
The preferred putting green grass in the northern U.S. — ultra-smooth, fast, and true-rolling.
Poa Annua
Annual bluegrass — considered a weed on most courses, but the intentional putting surface at Pebble Beach and top West Coast tracks.
Zoysia
A warm-season grass popular in the transition zone — handles both heat and cold better than alternatives.
Ryegrass
A cool-season grass used as permanent turf in the north and as winter overseed in the south.
Fescue
A cool-season grass family — fine fescue creates the iconic golden links-style rough, tall fescue is used on fairways.
Kentucky Bluegrass
The backbone of northern fairway turf — dense, self-healing, and provides clean lies.
Overseeding
Spreading cool-season grass seed over dormant bermuda in fall to keep courses green through winter.