NATURAL BOUNCE - WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT IT

Imagine this. You are working on your chip shot, and the artificial surface you are playing on will just not receive the ball smoothly. Regardless of how accurate the shot is, the ball bounces and rolls off the back of the green—again. As an passionate golfer, you can see that this green is of inferior quality.

High-Quality artificial golf green attributes should include these priority reactions:

• Natural golf ball bounce
• Precise reaction to aim
• True directional roll
• Predictable playability

The primary objective here is to have the artificial grass react as naturally as real grass. As soon as the ball lands, you can tell if you’re playing on superior-quality turf or not. If you are hitting a chip shot, you should be able to predict it will be received by the turf correctly, bounce appropriately, and roll as expected.

If these key characteristics are missing, how could you possibly improve your putt consistency or chipping accuracy?

THE SCIENCE BEHIND TURF BOUNCE

The contrast in the bounce between natural and artificial turf comes from the properties of the grass that absorbs the kinetic energy of the bounce.

Let’s take a look at the science.

Bounce, Aim, Roll
The Golden Bear system replicates natural greens by using base, pad, sand, and fibers to achieve like performance metrics. By studying natural green absorption, spin, and friction, Southwest Greens has been able to utilize a mix of these materials to absorb shots, spin on impact, and customize speed.

HOW WE TEST TURF AT SOUTHWEST GREENS

To ensure you’re getting an excellent reaction from our artificial grass, we conduct many experiments, but here are the major ones you should know about.

BOUNCE TEST

Tru Firm: Measure the shift of the surface to spot how the surface impact energy transfer.

Bounce: Proprietary device that mimics natural pitch shot approach angle and spin. This will Create a baseline and quantify the surface interaction which allows us to understand how the surface will accept a pitch shot.

Spin: Advanced machinery that simulates natural spin. Create a standard and quantify the surface interaction to take samples of how the friction of the ground varies ball spin will translate to performance.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT SOUTHWEST GREENS

We have been able to quantify key performance indicators to offer you the best golf experience. By studying what variables affect performance, we can copy natural greens.

We identified test methods to learn what variables actually effect performance. Spin, firmness, and bounce were judged using a mixture of GSGA testing protocols and proprietary testing methods. These evaluations simulate normal shot and surface interactions.

At Southwest Greens, we have honed the art of installation to provide the best playing surface available. This is how we make our turf:

SUBGRADE

Considering the area you live in, the dirt may be distinct from sand to clay to rock. A professional who is installing the artificial grass takes this into account, with a foundation prepared to promote proper drainage.

AGGREGATE BASE

Stone is utilized on top of the subgrade (ground) to help drainage and allow for a properly constructed surface. It is essential that the aggregate be constructed and compacted to valid depths. Typically, for golf uses, a second shaping aggregate is added to build undulations and breaks.

BACKING

Artificial turf is developed by stitching the fiber through multi-layer backing. The backing, in turn, is coated with high-quality polyurethane to maintain the stitches.

INFILL

Essential to the turf system, the infill is created from rounded washed silica. Infill yields ballast, helps with drainage, and has direct impacts on the key bounce indicators.

TURF FIBER

Extruded, PP/PE/ Nylon come in a large number of composition, colors, and lengths. Fabrics and product build creates an impact on the ground interaction with the golf ball and surface aesthetics.

Check out this installation video to understand how we decide the most suitable infill layers and artificial green surfaces for your situation.

FIND YOUR TURF

Are you on the hunt 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 vary quite a bit from ordinary yard turf. Base work, cup placement, undulations, and turf selections are all essential traits of a synthetic golf green that adds value to your game, family, and home, all while lowering maintenance costs.

Consider one of our fan favorites: Golden Bear Turf

Golden Bear is our highest-grade synthetic turf with the appearance, touch, and texture of natural grass. It’s the green favored by amateurs and professional golfers for their homes. In simple terms — it’s the most precise playing surface obtainable on the market today. Golden Bear is a great pick for more consistency and better predictability. Although manufactured with golf in mind, this long-lasting, high-quality turf is also pretty and can offer garden serenity.

The alliance with Southwest Greens and Nicklaus Design started in 2004 and has matured appreciably through the years in both design and turf science. All buyers can take advantage of custom-designed golf greens installed by certified Southwest Greens vendors. Now everyone can participate in best-in-class integration of professional design, installation, and Golden Bear exclusive turf products.

Golden Bear Turf is rated highest in quality, look, and results for artificial turf products. This high-quality synthetic grass bounces, rolls, and receives just like a championship course. Shot after shot, Golden Bear has the most accurate aim of any putting surface. Playability is so real you will feel like you’re playing out on a local Albuquerque course.

Our Golden Bear Turf offers you championship-level bounce right in your own backyard. Scientifically developed and tested to have 20-25% more ball retention compared to other leading artificial turf for real playability. Get in touch with Southwest Greens of New Mexico if you want to know more about the science.

LET’S SEARCH FOR YOUR BACKYARD PUTTING GREEN

We’re ready to help you discover the best solution for your backyard putting green. Connect with us when you are ready to start your project.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2021 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.