When discussing turf species cultivar selection with anyone who has a question of "what grass should I plant?", I always stress a better ingredients, "better turf" mindset. Regardless of if it's a highly maintained golf green, stadium sports field or a moderately maintained lawn, the ingredients do matter! With respect to lawns in this region and based on my personal observations and measurements of numerous species and cultivar trials for nearly two decades at Purdue is that turf-type tall fescues or seed mixtures dominated by turf-type tall fescues provide better turf late in the season (late-July through September) relative to lawn turf areas
with high percentages of perennial ryegrass. This is especially true for those lawns that do not receive supplemental summer irrigation and little seasonal nitrogen inputs.
Cale A. Bigelow Ph.D.
Professor Department of Horticulture and Landscape ArchitectureTurf Science, Management and Ecology
Purdue University