NATURAL BOUNCE - WHY IT MATTERS

Think of it this way. You are practicing your chip shot, and the artificial turf you are playing on will just not receive the ball smoothly. However perfect the shot is, the ball bounces and slides off the back of the green—again. As an avid golfer, you can see that this green is of subpar quality.

High-Quality artificial golf green features should consist of these priority reactions:

• Realistic golf ball bounce
• Accurate reaction to aim
• True directional roll
• Predictable playability

The primary objective here is to have the artificial grass respond as naturally as organic grass. From the moment your ball lands on the green, you can tell if you are playing on superior-quality grass or not. If you’re hitting a chip shot, you should be able to predict it will be received by the grass correctly, bounce appropriately, and roll as planned.

If these key features aren’t present, how could you realistically improve your putt consistency or chipping accuracy?

THE SCIENCE BEHIND TURF BOUNCE

The difference in the bounce between natural and artificial grass comes from the properties of the turf and how it absorbs the kinetic energy of the bounce.

Let’s understand the science.

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

HOW WE EVALUATE GRASS AT SOUTHWEST GREENS

To make sure you’re provided with an optimal reaction from our synthetic turf, we carry out many tests, but here are the big ones you should understand.

BOUNCE TEST

Tru Firm: Measure the displacement of the surface to see how the surface influences energy transfer.

Bounce: Proprietary device that simulates 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 collect data of the surface interaction to see how the friction of the grass changes ball spin will translate to performance.

THE SOUTHWEST GREENS DIFFERENCE

We have managed to quantify key performance signals to give your golf game fantastic results. By studying what variables affect performance, we can recreate natural greens.

We created test approaches to better understand what variables actually effect performance. Spin, firmness, and bounce were evaluated using a mixture of GSGA testing protocols and proprietary testing methods. These evaluations simulate normal shot and surface interactions.

At Southwest Greens, we are experts in the art of installation to give you the best playing surface available. This is how we make our grass:

SUBGRADE

Taking into account where you live, the ground may vary from sand to clay to rock. A professional who is installing the artificial turf takes this into account, with a base developed to promote proper drainage.

AGGREGATE BASE

Stone is used on top of the subgrade (ground) to assist in drainage and provide a permit to a properly constructed surface. It is imperative 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 grass is developed by stitching the fiber through multi-layer backing. The backing, in turn, is protected with high-quality polyurethane to preserve the stitches.

INFILL

Integral to the turf system, the infill is developed 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 constructions, colors, and lengths. Fabrics and product construction have direct impact on on the ground interaction with the golf ball and surface aesthetics.

Check out this installation video to get a grasp how we identify the correct infill layers and artificial grass surfaces for your condition.

FIND YOUR TURF

Are you searching for a product where a chip shot will land, bounce, roll, stop, and react as comparably to a real golf green as possible?

Residential putting greens differ quite a bit from standard lawn grass. Base work, cup placement, undulations, and turf selections are all essential features of an artificial 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 grass with the appearance, touch, and consistency of regular grass. It’s the turf preferred by novices and professional golfers for their homes. In simple terms — it’s the most precise playing surface accessible on the market today. Golden Bear is an excellent pick for more consistency and better predictability. Although manufactured with golf in mind, this long-lasting, high-quality grass is also beautiful and can offer backyard serenity.

The alliance with Southwest Greens and Nicklaus Design started in 2004 and has matured significantly over the years in both design and grass technology. All consumers can benefit from custom-designed golf greens installed by authorized Southwest Greens dealers. Now everyone can participate in best-in-class incorporating of professional design, installation, and Golden Bear exclusive turf products.

Golden Bear Turf is the ultimate in quality, look, and performance for artificial grass products. This high-level artificial grass bounces, rolls, and receives just like a championship course. Shot after shot, Golden Bear has the most precise aim of any putting surface. Playability is so authentic that you will think you’re playing out on a local Los Angeles and Southern California course.

Our Golden Bear Turf gives you championship-level bounce available in your own backyard. Scientifically manufactured and examined to have 20-25% more ball retention compared to other leading artificial grass for real playability. Get in touch with Southwest Greens of Southern California if you have more queries regarding the science.

LET’S SEARCH FOR YOUR BACKYARD PUTTING GREEN

We’re ready to help you find the right solution for your backyard putting green. Contact us when you’re ready to begin your project.

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