SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/49194
Facility&Operations >> VIEW OF A MULTI-COURT FACILITY that uses turf as a surface. Note that the courts are well-marked and that the surface is kept free of de- bris. Photos courtesy of the Fast-Dry Company, Pompano Beach, FL. >> THIS COURT has a viewing area, as well as a pergola and attractive landscaping. Photo cour- tesy of NGI Sports, Div. of River City Athletics, LLC, Chattanooga, TN. looking for standing water (a sign of non- functioning drains) that can result in slick areas, and ascertaining that playing lines are still bright and visible. Regular maintenance includes brushing to make sure infill is distributed consistently over the court surface, and to keep the turf fibers standing up. Periodic watering will as- sist in compacting the fill uniformly. Club courts should be brushed every week to maintain optimal playing quality. Regularly remove debris including leaves, pine needles and more by using a 28 SportsTurf | December 2011 >> THIS TURF COURT replicates the look of Wim- bledon on a synthetic court for a private residence for an owner who wanted tennis and other sport use. Note the two-tone "mowing pattern" effect. Photo courtesy of Sportsline, Inc., Exton, PA. leaf rake and shovel, a leaf collector or a blower. Courts may need to be checked for torn or loose seams, repaired as necessary, and to have algaecide and/or fungicide ap- plied as necessary. After a heavy downpour, check the sur- face for bubbles that may develop, indicat- ing that water has managed to get under the carpet. A builder can advise you on the best course of action in such a case. The Tennis Courts book advises: "To prevent maintenance problems, re- quire players to clean their shoes before en- tering the court. No food or drink, except water, should be allowed on the court sur- face. Any spill should be cleaned immedi- ately with plain water or a diluted cleaner and rinsed thoroughly. Absolutely no smok- ing should be permitted in the court area. Burnt areas on the carpet are unsightly. For superficial burns, the carpet pile can be carefully clipped below the blackened or melted tips. For larger burns, the area may need to be replaced and patched. Contact the contractor for assistance." The book's Annual Maintenance Plan- ner notes that owners should plan to resur- face these courts every 12-20 years. Like all other tennis courts, a turf tennis court should drain in one true plain. In order of preference, it should drain from side to side, end to end, or corner to corner. Like asphalt, concrete and grass courts, its finished slope should be between .83% (1:120) to 1% (1:100). The first mistake an owner can make, say builders, is assuming that an artificial turf tennis court will produce the same game as a grass court. The second is that it requires no maintenance. Neither is true. Artificial turf produces its own unique www.sportsturfonline.com