WHY SYNTHETIC TURF FOR GOLF?
From club to club and green to green, there is one thing that every course, putting surface, and driving range has in common; it’s always well-maintained. When it comes to natural turf, this needs A LOT of maintenance. It’s no easy achievement. Conventional grass requires frequent watering, mowing, fertilizing, and pesticide treatment. Synthetic turf frees up a lot of time, whether you want to add it to your personal or commercial property. Here are some key advantages of artificial greens for you to consider.
LOWER MAINTENANCE
Artificial golf greens are a comfortable option for those looking to decrease the amount of time and money spent on turf maintenance. Harsh herbicides and pesticides won’t be required. Watering and trimming will be a thing of the past. This will save money long-term because| you no longer have to invest as much into turf maintenance equipment. You will be able to spend more time on the things with higher priority - like enhancing your golf game!
REDUCE SEASONAL ALLERGIES
Do you have seasonal allergies? If you do or know someone who suffers grass-specific allergies, you know how terrible it can be. Installing synthetic grass can help decrease the free-floating pollen and eascut down on frequent symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and sore throat. Check out our article on how synthetic grass can decrease your symptoms here.
HIGHLY DURABLE
Synthetic greens are developed to survive any weather that comes their way. You’ll even be able to have fun while practicing your game all year round in some cases. When you install a superior-quality turf like Southwest Greens, products are resilient to UV exposure, foot traffic, and play. Our turf products are designed and tested for the best aesthetic and results.
FEELS NATURAL
Once more, provided that you choose a top-of-the-line grass, you can be assured it will feel like traditioanl grass. We’ve collaborated with Nicklaus Design to offer you the highest quality golf surface in the industry - Golden Bear. This grass is guaranteed to provide you the finest bounce, aim, and roll and a world-class overall golf experience.
CONSISTENCY
While the grass itself will not change your swing, you can bet on artificial turf to offer more consistent practice. It will constantly be the ideal length and hold up to years and years of play. There’s nearly no downtime once the grass is installed, so you can keep improving throughout the year (weather permitting).
HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT KIND OF TURF
We offer turf systems tailored to your application. Our golf greens are constructed to look and play like organic turf; the design of the product mimics a traditionally rolled putting green. This also applies to our tee surfaces and fairway/ fringe material; as they soak up shock and mimic natural club to ground interactions. Here are some other factors to consider when trying to select artificial grass.
BACKYARD GOLF AREA OR COMMERCIAL LOCATION?
Location, location, location. Are you considering installation of a putting green in your Charlotte backyard? Looking to upgrade sections of a commercial golf course you administer? This will hugely affect the type of turf you'll need.
WHAT SKILLS DO YOU WANT TO PRACTICE?
The skills you want to work on will hugely impact which green will be the right pick. Are you searching for a putting surface? Driving range? What about a chipping area? Bunker escapes? We have different types of turf styles, lengths, and colors to accommodate your requirements.
WHICH PRACTICAL TRAITS DO YOU WANT?
Do you want normal artificial grass to flank the golf greens? How about adding a tee box? Will there be any trees or live plants around that the turf will need to be worked around? These are good questions to consider when planning for artificial golf grass.
GOLF GREEN INSTALLATION
Installing golf greens is something we greatly suggest you leave in the hands of pros. Some DIY projects end up being more work than their worth, plus you can face issues early on, like edges peeling up, lumps showing up in the turf - the list goes on. Here’s a quick look at what setting up synthetic turfs looks like.
INITIAL CONSULTATION
A turf expert should set up a time to inspect the site where you’d like to install synthetic golf greens. They can help advise you on what type of excavating will need to be done, which green is a good choice, and what your budget estimate will be.
AGGREGATE LAYER
First, any regular green is removed, and the ground is leveled. Then a base of crushed aggregate will be moistened and molded to form specific features like breaks and bunkers. This aggregate is generally composed of crushed stone.
CUSHION PADDING (select projects)
After the aggregate layer is installed and leveled, a cushion padding is added. Cushion is added to assist playability and give added shock absorption or deflection. Pad is added based on the application and wanted outcomes.
TURF SURFACE
Once your aggregate and cushion are done, the turf surface is added. The grass is made from high-tech polypropylene and styled to look like natural grass.
INFILL
Now comes the grass infill. The perfect infill will be a mix of fine-coated silica sand to give the synthetic turf weight and that real feel. If you’re opting for a cooling technology like HydroChill®, it's added to the infill before the it's is applied to the turf.
STYLING
The last step of the installation procedure is brushing or rolling. This is what generates the best turf effect on a putting green or the lush lookaesthetic of landscape, increasing the realism. Depending on fringe cuts, sand traps, bunkers, etc., this phase of the installation process will vary.
You can see a video of our installation here for a deeper understanding.
WHAT DO PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS THINK?
PGA Heroes such as Jack Nicklaus, Rickie Fowler, and Anika Sorenstam all use and endorse the artificial golf grass by Southwest Greens. These experts all know that our synthetic putting turfs are the best on the market. Find out why in this article.
GET A QUOTE
We wish this article has been helpful if you’ve been considering artificial golf greens. When you’re prepared for a quote, our team of professionals is here to guide you. You can schedule a free consultation by contacting us.