Genre: Promotion

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT & RESULTS from Extensive Studies by GolfScape Artificial Turf Manufacturers FACTS & FOES of Nylon vs. Artificial Grass Deep Infill " Artificial Grass Deep Infill " Systems vs. Nylon Synthetic putting greens are manufactured with several different materials . Two of the most common materials are polypropylene and nylon . A green made with nylon typically does not take an infill product , whereas a polypropylene green does . It is this artificial grass deep infill process that determines whether you birdie or bogey your game because of the advantage way that a surface , with artificial grass deep infill , reacts to your golf ball while putting and chipping onto the green . Non-filled synthetic putting greens obviously do not require infill . These greens are typically made of the nylon fiber . Nylon is what you see on miniature golf courses . Disadvantages of Nylon Problems with nylon synthetic putting greens : Nylon , a more porous fiber , will absorb water , retain odors , and lead to mold , mildew and fungus growth . Because a nylon green does not normally take an infill material , the fibers will " mat down " in a given time . When this happens the ball roll becomes very fast and there 's nothing that can be done to remedy the problem . In an attempt to resolve this issue , some companies will add infill to the turf , but because nylon is not designed to take an infill product , it just wo n't work . Many companies claim nylon fiber is " heat set " with " memory " and will not mat down . It simply makes sense that if there is nothing to support the fibers upright , they will mat down over time . Also , read the " fine print " of these companies' warranties on their nylon greens - " normal matting or compression of fiber or compression of rubber and foam backing or padding is expressly excluded from the warranty " . Draw you own conclusion from such contradicting statements . Nylon is a stiffer , more rigid fiber . A rigid fiber can also make the ball " bounce " or " hop " and not hold the green well . Furthermore , it has to be virtually flat for a nylon green to hold a golf ball . Although nylon greens should be built over a concrete slab , you might as well just take your penalty stroke and start over . Concrete will always crack or will always need joint for contraction and expansion . Joints and cracks will eventually agitate the green's surface creating visible ridges . Vice-versa , nylon turf with urethane backing will actually " crawl " across the surface creating wrinkles . A latex backing wo n't do this , but it will retain water and odors and lead to mold , mildew and fungus growth . For sure Stimp speed is not adjustable and undulations are almost nonexistent for a green built on a concrete slab . A concrete slab must have a slope for water drainage . The slope has to funnel water somewhere , which usually means towards the putting holes or all to one side of the green , resulting in puddles of stagnant water ; again leading to rot , mold and growth of fungus . If the nylon turf has a latex or rubber backing or padding , the problem is compounded . Rubber padding will compact and break down , forming irregular dips in the green , similar to what happens to an old worn out couch cushion . Stagnant water can accumulate under those too . Add that to the matted down fibers and you 've scored a " double-bogey " of a problem . Nylon fibers tend to be darker . A darker color gives the surface an unnatural blue-green appearance . Do n't take our word for it . Go to the internet and look at the photo galleries of companies selling nylon greens . You will notice greens that are abnormally dark or greens that actually look blue-green . Putting greens should " accentuate , enhance and blend " into the surrounding landscape , not detract from it . Nylon has streak lines caused either by inconsistencies of the dye lot or during the shearing process , which runs the length of the turf and can seriously hamper true ball roll . Final Note : Nylon greens cost almost twice as much as polypropylene . But because of the problems associated with nylon greens , you 're getting half of the product for twice the price . All of these problems combined are sure to handicap your short game . After extensive research of the fiber and manufacturing process , we have determined that the technology for nylon putting greens has yet to produce a putting surface that consistently provides true ball roll and holding characteristics of a real grass green . Polypropylene greens are the most realistic looking and have the most consistent surfaces . Its durable fiber can withstand all inclement weather conditions that Mother Nature can hurl at it . This increases the longevity of the green's life . They provide many more options for designing undulations , especially when built over a crushed sub-base . The fibers of an artificial grass deep infilled green are pre-bent and will not mat down over time They are maintenance free - : blow debris off with a leaf blower . Polypropylene greens have proven performance . Some companies claim that the taller the turf , the better the ball roll . They use a 1-1 / 2 turf , which requires much more infill product . More infill means that the fibers will be further apart . More distance between the fibers means the ball can roll on between fibers and infill , which is not a true and consistent ball roll . Usually a 1-1 / 2 fiber is used for the installations of synthetic football and soccer fields . These companies will try to adapt that fiber to a putting green surface , which signals the beginning to a multitude of frustrating problems . Some of these companies claim to be the manufacturer of their products . Buyer beware ! Most companies are simply the " middlemen " who sell products that they never actually see for themselves or who will sell factory " seconds " . A product may be classified as a second if there is color difference in the yarn used , a flaw or streak in the length of the material , or the backing is defective . Their " manufactured " products are not fully inspected for quality . Facts About Nylon Nylon golf greens offer the worst of all possible combinations . They are sold by " sales people " , not textile experts . At one time Dupont's nylon 6.6 dominated the sport field market place but was never intended for golf course applications . Except for commercial driving range golf mats , new fiber and infill technologies have virtually eliminated nylon from the sports turf and golf green scene . American Sports & Recreational Surfaces manufactures range mats with SFI monofilament nylon ( SFI is the available source for monofilament nylon in the United States ) . Golf greens using this nylon have " streak " lines . If you absolutely have to purchase a nylon golf green demand " in writing " that the turf will not have " streaked " lines in it . Nylon should be installed over concrete , not nailed down over sand or crushed stone . Nylon with a urethane secondary backing will expand and contract as the ambient temperature changes . This will cause the turf to " crawl " on top of the sub-base . Using spikes to hold down the perimeter edges will create bubbles and wrinkles in the turf . You are probably not installing the green for " goofy golf " but that is exactly what you will get when the turf bubbles , wrinkles or covers half the cup due to shifting . This is why outdoor nylon turf installations have always been a total direct glue down onto concrete , asphalt . E-Layer or other stabilized substrate . Nylon Golf Greens Will Not Hold A Shot Some companies are still selling nylon turf with an attached expanded urethane foam cushion for outdoor golf greens . These cushions are open cell products that absorb water , retain odors and have a fatigue factor . This will accept short chip shots until your golf green rots or your wife demands it 's removal . If you topdress this nylon turf with the sand these same sales people recommend you will have a nice hard surface to park your boat on . Nylon turf golf greens seem attractive because they are quick to install but the fact is that nylon should be limited to indoor installations where entertainment is the primary objective , rather than a tool to improve your golf game and your home value , if " streaks " are not a concern .