Question
I'm in NY ( zone 5 ) and I want to put in a grass area that I can hit golf balls from.  What is my first step, and when is the earliest that I should start this project ?

Answer
Start in april. The seeds may not germinate completely until May and it will take about one season to get a full, lush lawn. However, you should have a playable field by mid summer provided you water regularily.

The best choice will be kentucky bluegrass. It takes longer to germinate, but it can be mowed shorter and provides a nicer surface compared to other grass types. Avoid tall fescue (including the much used K31 or Kentucky31 cultivar.. this is not kentucky bluegrass, but the name of a tall fescue grass with same name). If you are looking for something which establishes fast, then go with perennial ryegrass. Ask a good gardening center for a low growing, well knit variety which can stand up to a lot of traffic/abuse, etc. There are some very nice varities of perennial ryegrass and if you get a good one, the ease of establishment is so much faster than kbg.

Best quality: Kentucky bluegrass
Best combination of fast/easy establishment combined with great quality (provided you get the right seed mix): perennial ryegrass.
Avoid: fescues.

I persume you have a full or a fair amount of sun and that you are not bothered by lots of shade ?

Note: perennial ryegrass will give you "fairway" quality grass. You can not get "green" quality grass with this selection. For that you need a very low growing grass type called Bent grass. However, you also need a special mower which is expensive, and you need to mow it 1-2 times per day (not per week, per day). It is very prone to damage and disease and is not for the regular home owner with a job. So, my recommendation is kentucky bluegrass or perennial ryegrass fairway quality golf surface.

Note: if you only have a small area to do, you can SOD (comes in rolls like a carpet which you roll out and press down. Then water until roots grow. Final quality in 14-28 days). It is much more expensive than seed, but you can have playable surface by May. Again, ask a good garden center for Kentucky Bluegrass sod availability, or refer to the phonebook for a landscaper. They should be able to quote you a price.


Kenneth