Maintaining your Synthetic
Bowling Green
Prevention is Better than Cure
Remember that maintaining a synthetic grass surface begins long before the laying of the
surface. It begins at the time of planning, design and construction.
• Design your installation to be free of total shade spots.
• Ensure your drainage is excellent.
• Always plan for the heaviest possible rainfall and be aware of any situation that could
result in water running onto your green.
• Ensure retaining walls have their own drainage and don’t let water seep onto the
surface.
• The area where your bowlers step onto the green MUST be very well grassed or
suitable matting should be provided. This will prevent dirt or mud being carried onto
your green via players' shoes.
Regular Maintenance
Remove plant matter
Tree debris is the most common mess maker. Leaves, pine needles, fruit and seeds can
block your drainage system or lead to algae growth.
There are three methods of removal:
1. Leaf rake and shovel. It's hard work and takes at least thirty minutes but is an effective
cleaning method.
2. Leaf collecting devices, such as the Aussie Clean Sweep and the Crowe Garden
Sweeper - Available by contacting us. You may have to use a leaf rake in the corners and
along the edges.
3. Mechanical blowers will blow all leaves to one side of the green making it necessary to
sweep along one side with a leaf rake. If the blower is used too closely to the surface it
may have a tendency to blow sand out.
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Tips
• Clean your green prior to play as leaves that are trodden in or broken up are difficult to
remove later.
• Clean your shoes before entering the green.
• No food or drink should be allowed on the green and, most certainly - No Smoking!
Algae and Moss
If you remove vegetation you will dramatically minimise the chance of algae forming.
However, given the right environment, algae will grow on bare bitumen. If little black
spots appear immediately treat the whole green. There are at least three commercial
products you can use:
1. Path Free - a copper sulphate based product which, used to manufacturers
recommendations, will kill algae and turn it brown. This may take 3 - 4 weeks. When the
algae has turned brown, sweep the area and remove the algae residue from the surface of
the green.
2. Alto - a dichlorophen based product containing excess sodium hydroxide. Apply 70 ml
in 20 litres of water per 100m (1 litre in 200 litres per bowling green). Alto is available
from Green keeping and Nursery Supplies.
3. The economical method is to purchase copper sulphate (blue stone) from a building
hardware store. Mix in watering can or larger container at the rate of 500 grams of copper
sulphate to 200 litres of water. Add 1 litre of a wetting agent and apply to the surface,
ensuring it is well wetted. When the algae has been killed, broom off the brown tips and
remove from the green.
Consider a total spray once a year as a preventative measure, even if algae and moss are
not evident. (Contact us about our annual maintenance service.)
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The settling period
After your new green has been constructed, be a little patient in the interests of achieving
a beautiful, flat playing surface. Your members will have experienced the long settling
period with natural greens - this green will require a much shorter period but it still
requires a little time to stabilise. We will benefit from your playing experience and
encourage maximum use during this time as it helps to stabilise the sand in-fill.
The Pro-Master bowling green surface is designed to work without any heavy
maintenance after the settling-in period, and it should provide the required speed and
performance with minimal watering, rolling and grooming. But for the first few months,
follow these guidelines:
Grooming
Grooming (brushing) opens the pile which is desirable and loosens the top layer of sand,
reducing playing speed. Groom with the mechanical broom three or four times in the first
week to progressively improve the sand level and get it as even as possible. It’s best to do
this when the sand surface is dry. Any obvious high spots of sand can be either removed
or dispersed to low spots. This operation requires some "feel" so restrict it to an
experienced person who has been properly trained on the grooming machine.
If your sand won’t stay level use your grooming machine without its catcher to
redistribute the sand and shift any high spots into any low spots. The groomer should be
worked in all directions up and down, across and diagonally. By varying these directions
the green can be prepared to perform in the direction required for the day's play. The
groomer should be set as high as possible and just low enough to pick up the high spots.
Ideally, it should be half way between the highest and lowest sand levels. If the settings
are too low it eventually will damage the surface - light grooming at the correct level is
beneficial.
After grooming, the sand near the surface is a little loose and the green will play a little
slower. At this stage, a watering cycle will help to settle and consolidate the surface sand
and the speed will increase. Watering will be necessary at least every second day during
the first four weeks. (After that, give a light watering about two hours before play.)
After the first week, grooming should not be necessary until late in the first year.
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Maintaining the sand level
The initial sand levels will be a little high as the green is slightly over-filled to allow the
sand to settle with watering, rain and playing. Your sand level will probably drop about 2
or 3mm below the fibre tips and that is approximately where it should be maintained.
After one or two months, we will return to inspect the surface to determine if the sand
needs removal or topping up, and to provide any further advice.
Be aware that lowering the sand levels excessively will slow the green speed and make it
very difficult to maintain an even speed.
Once the right sand level has been achieved, aim for a target speed of 13-15 seconds by
balancing watering (which makes the green quicker) and grooming (which slows it
down).
* Contact our office if you are unsure of the type and grain size of sand to use. Sand
grains should be sub-angular, cleaned and dried. If you have incorrect sand, your surface
will not perform correctly.
Watering
A feature of synthetic greens is a reduction in green speed during hot weather when the
sand in-fill dries out and becomes a little loose. Watering prior to play will minimise this
effect, but drying out during the course of the day can result in a slower green speed at
the end of the day. The timing and degree of watering can only be determined by local
experience, something which may take time to acquire. Watering the green during the
day may be an option and certainly assists in keeping the green cool.
Excess watering should be avoided. If the green is not kept clean of plant matter, excess
watering will assist algae growth.
Influence of climate
The local climate will have a bearing on the playing characteristics of the green. This
varies from club to club depending on wind exposure, mean temperatures and rainfall.
How you groom and water will depend on the prevailing weather conditions, the settling
down progress and the immediate play requirements. Good green-keeping judgment is
still needed, even with synthetic grass.
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Rolling
It is essential to use rollers to achieve an even surface but, excessive rolling will
accelerate the green speed beyond what is normally acceptable to club bowlers, and in the
long term can damage the synthetic fibre. You should only roll the green (mostly
diagonally) every second day for the first month or until the speed of the green has
reached 14 seconds. Then stop rolling and let natural wear take it the rest of the way. This
period should be no longer than three months - depending on use.
Play on!
By now you members will know that this green can play similarly to natural grass; that it
will change with preparation and climatic condition. Over the period of a year it will be
on average better than a natural green, except perhaps for a period when a natural green is
at its peak (before the sun, water, bugs or diseases get it!)
Seams
Seams should not provide any problems. The procedures and glues are well tested and
established. If a seam splits or lifts, don’t ignore it as it can quickly worsen. Don’t try to
fix it yourself - call us for advice. It’s very easy for a carpet layer or a well briefed
handyman to fix.
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