Lawns and sports turf.

This chapter focuses on the functional, recreational and aesthetic uses of turf, the difference between a cool-season and a warm-season turf, variations in the length of the grass (height of cut) with different sports. Information on the 'thatch' and 'mat' technique, the requirements placed on turf grass when used in an elite sport venue, such as a golf green within an international championship course and the benefits of design and management of the golf green in achieving these requirements are discussed. The ways that these management practices can be made more sustainable in terms of resources and energy used and their impacts on the wider environment, variations in the need for more sustainable approaches to turf management and the importance of proper management of garden lawns in improving its value as a wildlife habitat are highlighted.