Forty ryegrass cultivars representing diverse origins were overseeded into a bermudagrass fairway in October 2004 and subjected to a standard management system throughout the winter. periodic turf quality and density ratings were taken throughout the growing season. In April 2005, three cuttings were taken at 5-d intervals to assess the growth potential. European cultivars were generally lighter in color than cultivars developed in the USA. The trend for US cultivars over the last 20 years has been towards finer texture and extreme dark color. Two experimental populations developed at Auburn University were among the top performers in this study.