Your handbook to understand the significance of bounce on artificial turf.
Natural Bounce — Why It Matters
Imagine this. You are practicing your chip shot, and the artificial putting green you are playing on will just not receive the ball properly. It doesn’t matter how accurate the shot is, the ball bounces and rolls off the green. As an avid golfer, you want a putting green that plays like natural.
Excellent synthetic golf green characteristics should feature these priority reactions:
- Realistic golf ball bounce
- Accurate reaction to aim
- True directional roll
- Predictable playability
The fundamental fact here is to have the artificial turf act as naturally as real grass does. From the impact when your ball hits the green, you can see if you’re playing on really good turf or not. If you’re hitting a chip shot, you should be able to assume it will be received by the grass correctly, bounce appropriately, and roll as planned.
If these key elements are missing, how could you conceivably correct your putting or chipping uniformity?
The Science Behind Turf Bounce
Southwest Greens has been able to assess key performance indicators. By understanding what variables affect performance we are able to imitate natural greens.
Test methods were recognized to establish what variables truly affect performance. Spin, firmness, and bounce were evaluated using a merger of GSGA and proprietary testing methods. These tests replicate general shot and surface interactions.
Bounce Test-
- Tru Firm Measures, the displacement of the surface to see how surface influences energy transfer.
- Bounce. Proprietary device that imitates natural pitch shot approach angle and spin. This will standardize and quantify the surface interaction to understand how the surface will accept a pitch shot.
- Spin. Proprietary device that replicates natural spin. Standardise and evaluate the surface interaction to see how the friction of the surface influences ball spin will translate to performance.
The Southwest Greens Difference
At Southwest Greens of Fresno, we have honed the art of installation to offer the best playing surface attainable. Here is how we build our turfs:
Subgrade
Depending upon where you live, the soil may range from sand to clay and rock. Properly installed synthetic turf takes this into account, with a base designed to promote proper drainage.
Aggregate Base
Stone is applied on top of the subgrade (ground) to aid in drainage and allow for a properly constructed surface. It is vital that the aggregate be created and compacted to the right depths. For golf applications, a second shaping aggregate is added to build undulations and breaks.
Backing
Artificial turf is made by sewing the fiber through two layers of backing. The backing, in turn, is coated with high-grade polyurethane to protect the stitches.
Infill
Essential to the turf system, infill is made up of rounded washed silica. Infill implements ballast, aids drainage, and immediately impacts the key bounce indicators.
Turf Fiber
Extruded, PP/PE/ Nylon come in a large number of constructions, colors, and lengths. Materials and product construction directly impact the surface interaction with the golf ball.
Take a look at this installation video to understand how we determine the correct infill layers and synthetic green surface for your situation.
Looking for a product where a chip shot will land, bounce, roll, stop, and react as realistically to a real golf green as possible?
Residential putting greens diverge quite a bit from traditional lawn turf. Base work, cup placement, undulations, and turf selections are all crucial features of an artificial golf green that adds value to your game, your family, and your home, all while lowering maintenance costs.
Take a look at one of our fan-favorites: Golden Bear Turf
Golden Bear is our premium-grade synthetic turf with the look, feel, and bite of real grass. It’s the turf preferred by amateurs as well as PGA Tour players for their homes. In simple terms — it’s the most precise playing surface available on the market today. Our artificial turf is a great pick for more regularity, predictability and even aids in preventing accidents brought about by uneven playing surfaces. Although designed with golf in mind, this long-lasting, high-quality turf can also be installed at heavy-traffic points like playgrounds and recreational areas.
The alliance with Southwest Greens and Nicklaus Design started in 2004 and has evolved greatly over the years in both design and turf technology. All customers can enjoy custom-designed golf greens installed by certified Southwest Greens dealers. Now everyone can experience best-in-class consolidating professional design, installation, and Golden Bear exclusive turf products.
Golden Bear Turf is the ultimate in quality, look, and performance for synthetic turf products. This top-level artificial turf bounces, rolls, and receives just like a pro course. Shot after shot, Golden Bear has the most precise aim of any putting surface. Playability that is so real, you will think you’re putting on the real thing. It’s plainly the best turf on the planet, and you will find it at Southwest Greens of Fresno.