RangeTurf Applauded for Natural Performance,Low Maintenance.
and for handling 20-inch rainstorm with ease
When 70 to 90 mph winds ripped through Chino , Calif. 's Ayala Golf Center in 2003,
the 10-acre instructional and practice facility was virtually ruined.
Ayala's eight-year-old AstroTurf driving range literally rolled up as one of the worst Santa Ana wind storms in history wreaked havoc on the area.
With so much damage, Ayala's management decided to "start over," completely redesigning and reconstructing its range. That included implementing a new - and different - turf system.
Ayala wanted a surface more akin to natural grass than AstroTurf. (Given the area's 105 to 108 degree summer temperatures, natural grass simply isn't an option for the Center.)
The facility began seeking a turf system that could provide the proper firmness and give for developing golf technique, along with lush grassiness that delivers realistic ball roll and bounce.
According to Paul Lambert, general manager of Ayala Golf Center , the facility looked no further than Sportexe RangeTurfT. "It came highly recommended to us and it looked and played so much like natural grass," he said. Canada-based Sportexe installed the new system throughout the 10-acre Center in spring, 2003.
Produced specifically for golf practice facilities, academies and ranges, RangeTurf T features a sand infill system that provides the preferred give of a well-groomed natural grass facility. The turf's advanced fibers - or "grass" -- also look and behave like natural grass, providing the desired ball play and resuming their shape after each use.
Unlike natural grass, however, RangeTurfT was created to withstand diverse weather conditions and to retain its high quality playing characteristics through years of daily, year-round use.
(This is particularly important to Ayala, which only shuts down three days a year. The Center has 55 stations, employs five full-time golf teachers and offers group and private lessons for all performance levels.)
In addition to extending facility use, RangeTurfT requires very little maintenance - thus
reducing cost. It doesn't need to be mowed, irrigated or fertilized. Pesticides and herbicides aren't
necessary, and problems that often plague natural grass (winter kill, drought, rain damage, etc.) are
avoided.
RangeTurfT also eliminates the costly problem of ball loss. The system is available in a variety of shades, each UV protected to ensure its rich appearance for years to come.
More important than any one feature, however, is actual customer and owner experience. And in Ayala's case, both have been very positive:
"We really like RangeTurf T - it's so much like natural grass," said Lambert. "We're extraordinarily happy with the color contrasts of the system. People who've never experienced RangeTurf T before are stunned when they see it!"
He added that he was extremely impressed with how the turf and the engineering of the new range handled the 20-inch rain storm the area received in December, 2004. "The surface drained completely within eight or nine hours," said Lambert, who noted that there were courses in the area still dealing with damage from the flood weeks later. In contrast, he said Ayala was "up and running in no time."
From a performance standpoint, Lambert said customers are very pleased with the turf's playability. "It grabs the ball like natural grass."
And regarding the company behind the turf, Lambert said he's also been very satisfied. "The crews were great -- very safety conscious, which is important to us.
"They worked hard and we had good weather for the installation, so they held their deadline. We're pleased with Sportexe, the product and the people," he added.
Sportexe, in turn, is pleased that its turf is being used by thousands of southern California 's golfers each year! The company continues to hone its products and to develop new ones to meet the exacting demands of golf and many other sports.