- Junior Seau - San Diego Chargers
- Marcellus Wiley - San Diego Chargers
- Curtis Conway - San Diego Chargers
- Lew Bush - Kansas City Chiefs
- Jay Schroeder - Washington Redskins
- Bill Scripps - Scripps Hospital Institute
- Sally Nordstrom - Nordstrom's Owner
- Carrie Beckler - Professional Golf Course Designer
- Matt Dye - Professional Golf Course Designer
- Corky Nesbitt - Director of Instruction of Atlanta Golf Company
- Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints
- Mark Loretta - San Diego Padres
- Phil Nevin - Minnesota Twins
- Lee Marie Wether - Catwoman
- Brian McKnight - Entertainer
- Bobby Crosby - Oakland Athletics
- Dean Reinmuth - Golf Instructor
- Scott Jones - Ace Parking Owner
- Debbie & Steve Lanni - MGM Grand Owners (Las Vegas)
- Billy Walters - Owns the Links Golf Course (Las Vegas)
- Frank Manusco - President of MGM Pictures
Word to the Wise: Practice Long on the Short of It (page 2)
One Putt Greens is the oldest synthetic putting green company in San Diego, having installed more than 2,000 synthetic greens over 12 years. With this kind of experience, Tettenburn knows what he's talking about. "We have an amazing client list of notable figures from the world of sports and business", he says, "but the strength of our company has come from building top quality greens for people from all walks of life... you don't have to be rich and famous to work on your short game in the convenience of your own back yard".
Are all synthetic putting green surfaces created equal? Absolutely not! Just like natural grass greens, quality is based on a variety of factors including functionality of design, materials used, the builder's level of skill and craftsmanship, industry experience, and company reputation.
According to Tettenburn, there are a number of important considerations in selecting the company capable of delivering the synthetic green you desire:
- First, what is the putting green surface material they offer? There are three primary materials of choice: Nylon and Polyethylene surface fibers are commonly used by a number of companies, primarily because of their lower cost. Polypropylene is the latest development and is considered state-of-the-art because it best simulates a natural putting surface. Polypropylene has also proven to wear better as it more effectively endures the elements over time.
- Next, choose a synthetic turf brand that can boast a "non-uniform tufting pattern". Tettenburn explains that tufting is how the strands are attached at the base of the under layer and it's the only way to achieve a true roll on a synthetic surface. "The non-uniform or random strand sequence promotes roll along the lips of the putting green without predictability", he says. "The ball will move as directed by the putter and will not be influenced by the surface of the green. A less costly way to construct a surface is by tufting in straight lines like rows of corn". In this case, Tettenburn points out, balls often end up guided by the linear nature of the tufting which will disrupt or re-direct ball roll.
- Another important factor is blade length. Tettenburn points out the length of surface material are critical in reproducing a "natural roll". One inch blade length has proven to deliver the best results for several reasons: "First", he explains, "one inch blade strands allows for more fill material per square foot. The amount of fill material is crucial as it restricts the blade movement and eliminates unnatural surface "noise" by providing a substantial foundation like you get from natural turf".
According to Tettenburn, the golf ball should roll on the lips of the blades and not on the fill material between the blades. Longer blades also hide seams much better and allow a greater variety of putting speeds. "Ball speed is established," notes Tettenburn, "by systematically moving a 300 lb. turf roller over the entire surface to crimp the blade tips. This rolling, in effect, creates a natural bent lip in each blade and the amount of lip surface is how the desired level of roll resistance is produced". A big problem with putting surfaces that offer shorter blades is there is no way to effectively manage ball speed. The tendency is for the ball to roll between the blades because the blade lips are nonexistent. The ball ends up rolling primarily on the fill material with the common result of an "untrue or directed line".
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