Seven golf courses in seven different locations around the world, all of which mark firsts for their region, recently announced that they are grassing their courses with Zoysiagrass varieties developed by Bladerunner Farms. These projects represent the first Zoysia on an entire course in Florida; the first Zoysia golf course in California; the first wall-to-wall Primo Zoysia course in Texas; the first Zoysia green in Australia; the first Zoysia greens in SE Asia in Singapore; and in both the Bahamas and Jamaica, the first BRF Primo Zoysia greens are growing in on two golf courses. Together these projects signify a rising tide of zoysiagrass use on golf course greens—something entirely new that is a fundamental shift in the golf industry.
In Florida, Grove XXIII, the course spearheaded by basketball great Michal Jordan, (named for the number 23 he wore on his uniform) the short course is grassed with Trinty Zoysia on the greens. This Hobe Sound private club’s championship course is grassed with Trinty Zoysia tees and Zeon Zoysia fairways.
In California,the very first Bladerunner zoysiagrass golf course on the west coast broke ground last fall in Middletown near Napa Valley. To be called The Bramble, Zeon Zoysia will be used on fairways with a decision to come on tees and greens. The Bramble is designed by Coore-Crenshaw, who are already big fans of Bladerunner’s zoysiagrasses since they used Trinity Zoysia at Trinity Forest, the new home of the AT&T Byron Nelson tournament. Doguet reports that James Duncan, part of the ownership group for The Bramble, has told him that Zeon is “doing better than their expectations.”
In Texas,the very first golf course to be grassed wall-to-wall with Primo Zoysia—tees, fairways, and greens.—begins construction spring 2019, grassing starts spring 2020. Developers Tour 18 and The Caldwell Companies are creating a 2000-acre master-planned community with a golf course (as yet unnamed) in North Houston, Texas.
In Australia, Indooroopilly Golf Club in Queensland is the first golf club in the country to plant a Trinity Zoysia green.
In SE Asia, test greens of both Trinity Zoysia and Primo Zoysia were planted at The Singapore Island Country Club.
In The Bahamas, Tiger Woods’, new short course design at Jacks Bay will have nine greens planted in Primo Zoysia. It is growing in now.
In Jamaica: White Witch Golf Course planted 10 golf greens with Primo Zoysia so far with remaining holes grassing this summer.
“We now have four BRF Zoysia varieties suitable for use on golf course greens. Primo Zoysia, Trinity Zoysia, Lazer Zoysia, and Prizm Zoysia, are the culmination of 30 years of research, development and real-world trials. It is so gratifying to see it come to fruition. I truly believe Zoysia for greens is poised to revolutionize golf course management because of the low inputs required and outstanding drought tolerance. It’s what I’ve dedicated my career to achieve,” said David Doguet, president of Bladerunner Farms, the world’s largest independently owned Zoysiagrass research facility.
BACKGROUND: BLADERUNNER FARMS
David Doguet has preached the gospel of the benefits of zoysiagrass for more than three decades. And now, after more than 30 years of research and real-world application, it appears the golf industry is made up of zoysia true believers. Doguet, president of Bladerunner Farms and recognized worldwide as an expert on zoysiagrass, now has four new varieties on the market suitable for use as greens grasses. BRF Primo, BRF Lazer, BRF Prizm, and BRF Trinity Zoysia, with their low inputs, drought tolerance, and superior playability, are no longer a promise for the future, they are available today. The future of greens grass, it appears, is now.
Other recent projects now open and with zoysia greens grasses developed by Bladerunner Farms include:
- Georgia: Crooked Creek Club in Atlanta was recently renovated with Primo Zoysia on all greens
- South Carolina: Spanish Wells in Hilton Head planted Primo Zoysia on its 9-hole golf course
- Texas: Bluejack National, designed by Tiger Woods, was planted with Trinity Zoysia on the short course greens; and Golf Clubs of Texas in San Antonio has all 18 greens planted in Trinity Zoysia
Even with four new greens-grade zoysias in the Bladerunner portfolio, research and development continue. In the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program’s (NTEP) 2013 National Warm Season Putting Greens Test, Bladerunner Farms sponsored seven of the 10 zoysia varieties in the trials with two released to the public as DALZ 1308 (Lazer) and L1F (Trinity).
Bladerunner Farms, along with Team Zoysia and Team Zoysia International, works with Dr. Ambika Chandra at Texas A&M University and Dr. Brian Schwartz at the University of Georgia to develop and continue to test these new zoysia varieties. At the University of Tennesse, Dr. John Sorochan is doing grow-in and maintenance studies on the Bladerunner greens-type zoysias.
In the U.S., Bladerunner has more than 50 test sites from coast to coast. These sites are at leading golf course facilities with experienced golf course superintendents giving real-world feedback on what they are observing. Grow-in, mowing, water use, disease or insect problems, cold tolerance, shade tolerance, etc, are all under review. Even the PGA Tour Agronomy department at the TPC Sawgrass has a Bladerunner Farms zoysia test site. Multiple U.S. test sites use zoysia for the tees, fairways, rough, and greens.
Along with the United States locations, Bladerunner Farms and licensing agent Team Zoysia International has ongoing real-world and research trials in nine international countries:
- Brazil
- Bahamas
- Mexico
- Australia
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Spain
- Portugal
- Singapore
Some of the industry’s most respected sod producers grow the Bladerunner greens grass Zoysias including Bladerunner Farms, Buy Sod, Pike Creek and now, Southland Sod in California.
Bladerunner Farms is the largest supplier of zoysia for greens in the world. Said Doguet, “I have dedicated my life’s work to the development of zoysiagrass as a sustainable, drought tolerant, highly playable, beautiful grass with low inputs. This grass has the capacity to help the golf industry reign in maintenance costs to secure the longevity of the industry for all who love to play the game of golf.”
To learn more about the Bladerunner Farms greens-type zoysiagrasses, visit the Team Zoysia Booth #1825 at the Golf Industry Show, February 6 – 7 in San Diego.
Online at BladerunnerFarms.com.
