The success of the Mini Verde Bermuda grass greens at Hyland Golf Club is making other area golf facilities take notice.

The latest course to make the switch from bentgrass putting surfaces to the new Ultra Dwarf Bermuda strain is Sanford’s Carolina Trace Country Club on its Lake Course, which was scheduled to reopen this past Friday.

Tim Hart, director of greens and grounds at the Robert Trent Jones-designed facility, is emphatic in his assessment of the change-over.

The renovation project started May 18 and it has gone flawlessly, he said. “The weather has been hot and dry, which is exactly what we needed for this project to go successfully.

“Credit also goes to my team: Lake Course superintendent Eric Graveen and Creek Course superintendent Blake Stephenson, who managed the conditions as members and their guests used the Creek Course for play this summer.”

Irrigation for the project was taken from Lake Trace, which is a 315-acre body of water owned by the club.

The original Lake Course greens were constructed in the early 1970s with Dominant Bentgrass. They were reseeded in 1993 and 1994.

“While our previous greens were good most of the year, our members were looking for more consistency,” Hart said. “The Mini Verde greens will give us that consistency.”

Carolina Trace head professional Mike Krick agrees. “The new surfaces will allow our members to make more putts,” he said, “because the area around the hole won’t hold footprints and depressions very long, meaning the greens will be smoother.”

Krick predicts golfers will also see an increase in the number of holes-in-one scored on the course.

‘The ball will land on the green and roll instead of stopping as quickly as it did on the wet, soft bent surface we used to have,” he said. “With these new greens, the ball will release and shots on line have a better chance to go in.”

According to the USGA Green Section Record, the Ultra Dwarf Bermuda thrives in hot temperatures, has lower maintenance costs and provides more playable days in comparison with bentgrass greens.

“With a new clubhouse opened in 2009 and new greens this year, Carolina Trace is poised for growth,” said marketing and sales director Sara O’Leary.

Contact Howard Ward at howardward@att.net