Your guide to understanding how roll works on artificial turf.
The Physics of Golf
Physics. It affects everything we do, including the wonderful game of golf.
Physics, is the nature and properties of matter and energy: how the club impacts the ball, the ball’s path through the air, its initial bounce, and the concluding roll out.
In an ideal situation, 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 an easy matter by hitting it in a straight line.
Often, you will discover that the ground is sloped. In this case, the ball’s path cannot be a straight path to the hole, therefore it’s a more challenging task. The ball now must follow a particular curved path to enter the hole. How much the ball must curve to the right or left depends on the degree of the putting green’s slope and undulation.
Regardless of if artificial turf or natural turf is chosen to your ideal backyard putting green, the physical characteristics of the ground factor into the performance. We employ a combination of typical golf course tests and our proprietary playability testing.
One standard test for ball roll is the stimpmeter test. Stimp testing calculates the distance a ball rolls on artificial turf in meters when dropped from one meter. The ball-to-surface interaction of the grass is directly correlated to the distance of the ball roll.
The proprietary playability testing for roll analyzes the consistency of outputs from a standard putting stroke. The test analyzes the initial bounce of the club face and the spin to roll transition.
Let us take a closer analysis into the items that influence how a golf ball reacts and rolls on a turf.
Green Characteristics
Product Construction: Extruded, recycled plastics that come in an assortment of constructions, colors, and lengths. Proper construction is critical in allowing key putting green installation practices; construction will allow turf to be infilled and rolled. Properly rolled fibers will look and play like natural greens.
Pile Height: The grass blades’ thickness and height will provide differences in friction; impacting the speed and smoothness of the putt.
Fiber: The composition of the fibers will have a substantial effect on how a golf ball moves throughout the putt. Fiber composition affects friction and pile lay. How the ball interacts with the surface is affected by how the turf lays.
Infill: Essential to the turf system, infill is made of rounded washed silica. Infill provides ballast and aids drainage. How the infill is shaped is directly related to performance; sharp edges and angles disrupt roll.
Aggregate Base: Stone is compacted to create challenging slopes and undulations; one that performs and drains like a championship golf course.
The recipe to creating a Backyard Putting Green that performs like a Championship Golf Green utilizes the best raw materials with elite-proven-tested installation techniques. Very important when you are on the putting green trying to gently get your ball into the hole.
The Southwest Greens Difference
Southwest Greens have quantified key performance indicators. Because we understand what variables affect performance, we’re able to mimic natural greens.
With Golden Bear Turf, you’ll have smoother rolls comparable to playing on your favorite championship course. Scientifically developed and tested 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 represents only the best! It is the ideal backyard practice putting green and offers the most realistic putting surfaces you can find on the market.