GOLF professional, David Harding, seems to have found the answer to the prayers of amateur golfers. From a company based in Phoenix, Arizona, in the US, David has bought the rights to distribute and install the unbelievably realistic Mirage Putting Green.
European Putting Greens, David’s off-shoot company from his main business Golfer’s Paradise in Almancil, is the first official dealer of this product that will revolutionise the way golfers play.
The Mirage Putting Green, according to David, is the most realistic, synthetic putting surface in the world. In the past, synthetic surfaces have been short-fibre, carpet-type surfaces glued onto cement. They were unrealistic, made ball speeds too fast and wore out quickly. Sand-filled synthetic turf became an alternative. However, the long fibres required deep sand infill and top-dressing to create the right ball speed, with regular re-sanding, brooming and water-rolling required for their upkeep.
The Mirage Putting Green’s polypropylene, UV-protected fibres make it virtually weatherproof and low-maintenance. Its realistic nature comes from the tightly-weaved, interlocking bent-fibre design, simulating real ‘bent grass’, giving the same action and ball speeds as tournament greens. It has the same playing characteristics as the real thing. And at a time of water shortage, the fact that this ‘green’ does not need watering is a massive plus point!
The special shock-absorbing base, together with the interlocking fibre design, make the surface ‘check-up’ like real grass greens, making chipping great. David also offers a fringe grass, Lazy Lawn, which surrounds the green from where you can chip. With these products, you can have all the practise benefits of the real thing in the privacy and tranquillity of your own back garden.
His team, trained in America, installs surfaces in private gardens. Working with clients, the green is customised to the size, location and practise requirements of the buyer. “The green is designed to suit the client and environment, and has a 10-year warranty. It has already been installed in the cold climates of Canada and the hot deserts of Arizona and Las Vegas, so we know that it’s durable. It really is hassle-free; all you need to do is keep the leaves off the surface and you can even vacuum it!” David laughed. “It’s like fitting a carpet on uneven ground, which you can imagine is incredibly difficult. But, even so, our average installation takes just two days.”
Flexibility is key – David caters for any needs, from laying a whole green complete with bunkers, to a small area for putting practice.
• For more information, contact David Harding at European Putting Greens on 962 730 706 or email [email protected]
