As with all fine turf surfaces playing surface consistency, smoothness and pace are important and this has been an awakening in croquet where the game is played seriously. The ideal croquet surface should not be dissimilar to a bowling or golf green with tightly cut fine grass in good condition providing speed of ball roll and consistent uniform surface levels to ensure a well-played shot is not undermined by an unfair surface.
Noel MacKenzie, our Principal Consultant, has advised at the Hurlingham Club on its numerous lawns and at the home of croquet in Cheltenham at the grounds on Bath Road as well as a number of other venues catering for this specialised game. He has also assisted contractors helping them achieve excellent results for their clients.
Very few Independent Sports Turf Agronomists have hands-on experience of working on fine sports turf surfaces combined with post graduate level technical knowledge and understanding of the way soils, plants and the environment can be manipulated to provide a top class sporting surface. Noel MacKenzie has these attributes and a proven track record achieving improvement in playing condition and quality on fine turf surfaces.
Newly laid lawn at Cheltenham Croquet Club
Court Assessment -
Your court will be assessed for all the parameters that combine to make a good quality lawn work for you, which may include:
- Sward species composition, its condition and health.
- Assessment of playing characteristics (smoothness, uniformity, consistency and pace).
- Analysis of management issues.
- Investigation of soil condition and rootzone health.
- Integrated Pest and Disease Management.
- Resource appraisal.
- Soil testing for nutrition and/or physical characteristics, infiltration rates, etc.
The inspection is then followed with discussion communicating the issues facing the green to the club’s representatives or owner and typically this process takes about an hour or so. A report is individually written to confirm and record the advice given and never copied off the internet or from another report.
If you would like to know more or arrange for a court assessment then please contact us or call 07739 505862 for an informal discussion.