[golf green guy]

Hello All -

Just wanted to ask about preferred landscape edging materials. I'm currently using Trex (1x4), but have just about run out and it seems few dealers, and none in my area, can get me the 1x4 any longer.

We use it to edge the synthetic putting greens we install, but I've been thinking about trying something else that may be easier to locate and perhaps cheaper than the Trex. I'm primarily looking for something that bends easily, is weather resistent, and not terribly expensive.

Any ideas/thoughts you might have would be appreciated.

Thanks much,

Golf Green Guy

[bcx400]

Golf green guy- There are lots of other composite lumber brands out there. Have you ever tried steel edging?

What I am interested in is your synthetic putting greens! Do you have a franchise or do you just buy the material? I am interested in adding this service. One company I talked to (Southwest Putting Greens) wants a $15,000 franchise fee. I know there are other companies out there who will just sell the material to you.

I tried hitting onto an artificial green from about 100 yards and the ball bounced about 30 feet straight up. I know there are different materials out there for chipping, and I would be interested in hearing about the limitations on these.

Anybody else out there doing putting greens?

[HardDaysKnight]

Hello Golf green guy and welcome to the board. What kind of
base are you using? I do mostly raised greens. Are you
constructing at ground level? Please elaborate.

bcx400 wrote:

I tried hitting onto an artificial green from about 100 yards and the ball bounced about 30 feet straight up. I know there are different materials out there for chipping, and I would be interested in hearing about the limitations on these.

This is the biggest headache with personal putting greens.
The key word "putting" goes out the window and almost
every client tries hitting on to it. It is NOT a golf course.
It's a backyard private putting green to help take a few
strokes off your score.
We won't get involved in the "bent grass" putting green
because of the maintainence needed.

[Stonehenge]

Does it have to be Trex? Can you use a deep aluminum edging instead?

[VoodooChile]

I only install steel edging. It isn't cheap or easy to get right, especially when trying to lay-out parallel flowing curves, but the permanence is a big selling point, and in this market costly add-ons aren't perceived as bad.

I would think folks who can afford putting greens, could afford to drop a 1-2 large on high-quality edging.

We get ours from Midwest Trading in St. Charles IL., about 75 miles away, so the shipping isn't obscene.

[golf green guy]

Thanks for the responses...

I haven't tried steel edging, but am curious as to how well it bends (i.e. into a kidney shape). I haven't yet tried aluminum either, but I know others in my business have used it. That may be the next material I try.

We use a stonedust base (#10 screenings) underneath our greens and it works very well. In my area (Va. Beach), we have clay just under the surface so I've found that it's best to build our greens up to avoid any drainage problems.

We're not technically a franchise, but simply own a license to sell the turf in VA and NC (we purchased the territories). We're one of the only companies that manufactures our own turf. We will sell just the turf (somewhere around $8/sf), or if someone is interested in adding greens as a regular service, they probably could buy into a territory and get the turf for much less (as well as sell it to others).

Re chipping to our greens, the ball reacts just like a regular green, and will even check-up. We use a thicker turf for our chipping boxes - the same turf we sell to driving ranges as a synthetic tee line.

Thanks to all for the responses.... and if anyone has a recommended brand for aluminum edging, let me know.

Thanks again -

GGG

[Stonehenge]

I hope John Mindling reads this....

We've used Curv-Rite's products for several years now and have been really happy with them. Good prices, they'll ship anywhere.

[golf green guy]

Thanks Stone... I'll check them out.

GGG

[VoodooChile]

Stone,
How does the aluminum compare to steel in $ and durability?