Your guide to understanding how roll works on artificial turf.
The Physics of Golf
Physics. It has influence over everything in life, and, notably, the popular game of golf.
Physics, is the nature and properties of matter and energy: the striking of the ball, the ball’s flight when airborne, the initial bounce, and the ultimate roll out.
In a perfect world, the ground in the direction of the shot would be perfectly flat, perfectly uphill, or perfectly downhill would be perfectly flat, perfectly uphill, or perfectly downhill in the direction of the shot. This would make getting the ball into the hole a simple task and hitting it along a straight line.
That said, you’ll learn that the ground is sloped. Now the ball’s roll can’t be a straight line to get in the hole, meaning it is a more difficult task. In this case, the ball must now follow a specific curved path to get into the hole. How much the ball must curve to the right or left is contingent on the grade of the putting green’s slope and undulation.
Whether artificial turf or natural grass is chosen to build your perfect backyard putting green, the physical attributes of the ground affect the performance. We utilize a blend of typical golf course tests and proprietary playability testing.
A common test for ball roll is the stimpmeter test. Stimp testing is calculated by the distance a ball rolls on artificial turf in meters when dropped from a one-meter height. The ball-to-surface interaction of the grass is directly related to the ball roll distance.
The proprietary playability testing for roll provides an analysis of the consistency of outputs from a standard putting stroke. This test analyzes the initial bounce of the club face and the spin to roll transition.
Now we’ll take a harder look at the components that impact how a golf ball reacts and rolls on a turf.
Green Characteristics
Product Construction: Extruded, recycled plastics that available in a mix of constructions, colors, and lengths. Proper construction is crucial to enable key putting green installation practices; construction will enable turf to be infilled and rolled. Properly rolled fibers look and play like natural greens.
Pile Height: How thick and tall the grass blades are will provide varying frictions; having an effect on the velocity and smoothness of your putt.
Fiber: The composition of the fibers will have a sizeable effect on how the golf ball moves throughout the putt. Friction and pile lay are affected by fiber composition. How the turf lays affects how the ball interacts with the surface.
Infill: Intrinsic to the turf system, infill is comprised of rounded washed silica. Infill provides ballast and helps drainage. Infill shape is directly related to performance; angles and edges disrupt roll.
Aggregate Base: Compacted stone creates challenging slopes and undulations; one that performs and drains like a championship golf course.
The science in creating a Backyard Putting Green that performs like a Championship Golf Green uses the optimal raw materials with elite-proven-tested installation techniques. This is especially important when you are on the putting green attempting to gently get the ball into the hole.
The Southwest Greens Difference
Southwest Greens have been able to quantify key performance indicators. Because we understand which variables affect performance, we’ve been able to replicate natural greens.
With Golden Bear Turf, you will have smoother rolls comparable to playing on your favorite championship course. Scientifically tested and designed to reproduce natural grass, from the initial bounce off the clubface... to the spin transition… to the smooth ball roll into the cup...
Golden Bear give you only the best! It is the ideal backyard practice putting green that offers the most realistic putting surfaces you can find on the market.