T
terry50lg
Guest
Checking to see how playing on grass surface would be? I may attempt to construct one at my home. Does any one have any suggestions on this or has built one at their home? Thanks Terry
PureCarlosMoyaDrive
Professional
Well, you also have to use a special grass, and water it in the middle of the night or something. Just make sure it doesn't get torn up or crapped on by your dog....
Verbal_Kint
Rookie
Tournament level grass court is about 50 to 100 K € a year...
Marnix
Marnix
Brian Purdie
Semi-Pro
you need a laser surface leveling, just like a hard court. Best to put in a base asphalt 2 feet deep. Fill with dirt, rocks, in layers. Final product is cement with fuzz, that's how hard the ground needs to be. That's how well the ball should bounce. And get a special lawnmover that cuts it to 1/4". Grass type: Wimby uses 100% rye.
If you already have a level area, the first thing to do is buy the heaviest roller you can find. A large iron cylinder filled with cement will do. Tow it behind a ride on lawn mower or golf cart. At first you'll want to roll the court often to iron out bumps. Once it becomes playable, you can roll it just two or three times a week. Regularly spike the grass with a pitchfork before watering. Don't worry about creating bumps - that's why you have the roller. Never play on the court if it is even slightly damp - you'll kill it and it takes a long time to get the court back in good condition.
If you don't have a level area right now, then you are looking at a lot of work and time before you'll have anything playable.
Talk to as many grounds and green keepers as possible. Most of them love to talk shop, so you should be able to pick up some good tips.
Pikey
If you don't have a level area right now, then you are looking at a lot of work and time before you'll have anything playable.
Talk to as many grounds and green keepers as possible. Most of them love to talk shop, so you should be able to pick up some good tips.
Pikey
Brian Purdie
Semi-Pro
Pikey, I've seen the rollers for years, but do the places like Wimby rip up everything every year and redo it all, or do they simply keep rerolling? How about Newport? I know Jacksonville and Hilton Head do not. And wouldn't rerolling be insufficient after a certain number of years ? how many? Also, is there a roller already built into these special lawn mowers?
Brian,
Not sure how the big clubs take care of the courts, but I'm sure there must be a book out on how things are done at Wimbledon – worth doing a search for on google etc.
Anywho, at my old club, the courts were rolled during the season and then any repairs, reseeding or new turf was put down in the off season to allow the court to settle before play. In England, that's not a problem as you only have summer play on grass courts. In Hilton Head and other such places, year round play is possible. Either way, having a couple of courts, so play can be rotated when a court needs time for repair, is a must for a club. For home use, one should be able to play all summer without any major down time.
As for suitable rollers, I know you can get the ones which to tow behind a golf cart in the USA as I used to use one to roll clay courts in the southeast. Check with court maintenance companies and green keepers for a local supplier. You can always get a smaller roller to push by hand, but a larger roller will be more effective and you can hook it to the back of a ride on lawnmower or golf cart.
Pikey
Not sure how the big clubs take care of the courts, but I'm sure there must be a book out on how things are done at Wimbledon – worth doing a search for on google etc.
Anywho, at my old club, the courts were rolled during the season and then any repairs, reseeding or new turf was put down in the off season to allow the court to settle before play. In England, that's not a problem as you only have summer play on grass courts. In Hilton Head and other such places, year round play is possible. Either way, having a couple of courts, so play can be rotated when a court needs time for repair, is a must for a club. For home use, one should be able to play all summer without any major down time.
As for suitable rollers, I know you can get the ones which to tow behind a golf cart in the USA as I used to use one to roll clay courts in the southeast. Check with court maintenance companies and green keepers for a local supplier. You can always get a smaller roller to push by hand, but a larger roller will be more effective and you can hook it to the back of a ride on lawnmower or golf cart.
Pikey
