One of the most important things for any bowling club to think about is installing the greens. Many choose artificial grass for its many benefits. As well as being easy maintenance, artificial turf can extend the bowling season, has better and more consistent conditions, and better levels.
Plus, covering the bowling green banks in astroturf drastically improves the aesthetics AND helps to cushion the impact of bowls and protect them from damage. This will ensure your bowls stay safe when they hit the banks.
This guide will give you advice on what to think about when installing an artificial lawn for your bowling green.
1. Location
It is key to make sure you have enough room required to build your lawn Allow for a surrounding path (usually 1.5–2.0m wide) and any outer landscaped area (such as grass or gardens). Make sure there won’t be any problems in the area you choose such as erosion or flooding as you’ll need a flat level lawn. Consider the placement of any neighbouring buildings too, tall buildings may cast shadows and cause other problems.
2. Prepare the Base
This is a critical part of the installation, your base needs to be able to support the loading placed on the surface over time and remain stable over time. One of the key benefits of artificial grass is how it drains much faster than regular grass lawns, so to further this you should make sure the base provides good drainage too.
It’s important to consider how much sand you’ll use in your base too. Synthetic lawns tend to use specialist sand to support it, however, many bowlers prefer turfs with less sand, so you’ll want to make sure you have a good balance.
3. Drainage Systems
Generally, it’s important to install an underlying pipe drainage system, as well as a ditch drainage system. When planning a drainage system, there are a few things you need to consider. Make sure you have a suitable outlet for the water with good capacity and won’t reverse flow. For this reason, many add a flap gate in the design.
Many use a geotextile material to line the drain trench too, however, you’ll want to avoid placing geotextile over the pipe drain backfill, as this can ultimately silt up and restrict water from flowing into the drain.
4. Maintenance
The good news about artificial turf is its very low maintenance compared to other lawns. No need for mowing, no trimmings to dispose of, no pesticides or chemicals needed and many more. But if you want to keep it in peak condition then there are some extra steps you can take to help.
Sand Levels
As mentioned before, many bowlers prefer lawns with less sand, if your players are complaining about too much sand you can try watering it back into a pile.
Speed of Green
Brushing the turf regularly will spread the fibres and make it look new again, however, it will slow down the playing speed. If you want to make your green faster, you can try rolling the green though keep in mind not to do this too often as it can compact the sand and reduce the longevity long term. The best way to increase the speed of the green would be to lightly water it, damp greens play quicker than they do dry and watering it will help cool it down in summer.
Lawn Bowls are a great way to keep active and hugely popular in the UK. If you’re considering fake grass for your bowling green, browse our range today.
