Bowling Green Maintenance: 12. Grooming

The use of groomers, such as light metal combs, nylon brushes, ridged front rollers, or powered groomers, can often be considered as fine surface preparation.

This activity is often used prior to each mowing as this will help raise up lateral growth and to control creeping weeds in particular. The depth setting for any groomer will need to be very accurate and caution taken so as to not mark the surface of the green, especially where minor surface irregularities are present.

Considering that the height of cut setting is low, there isn’t a large amount of height (or depth) to play with, so in practice the groomer might be set to just 1mm or 2mm below the height of cut.

Verticutting and scarification will also help to eliminate and reduce the potential for lateral grass growth, although they will be undertaking a more vigorous action. The picture below illustrates what can happen where inadequate grooming activities are undertaken on a green.