Natural Grass vs Artificial/Field Turf

[FatNTired]

I love grass, but have to say I'm coming around to liking the field turf. I think it's inevitable.

I, for one, welcome our Hawkeye overlords.

 

[SpokaneCY]

I like my field like I like my women... Au Naturel baby!!

Well irrigated and wormy?

 

[SpokaneCY]

Only $154,000? Seems like a bargain to me. I think the High School my kids went to spent well over a million installing artificial turf.
I love our turf field, when it gets messy, it get s messy for both teams. That horrible artificial field we had in the 80's still makes me wonder how any of the players survived playing on it.

I think they are missing a number somewhere.

 

[madguy30]

I can't even watch a boise game on tv, it looks so bad.

It's better than Eastern Washington's at least.

 

[SpokaneCY]

It's better than Eastern Washington's at least.

Having been to games at both Boise St and EWU I'd say the EWU is way easier on the eyes in person.

 

[madguy30]

Having been to games at both Boise St and EWU I'd say the EWU is way easier on the eyes in person.

Kinda wondered that...but in a photo or on TV it's pretty gnarly.

 

[Macloney]

I have been a big time fan of a natural grass field, but climate change is real and it hasn't been good for growing natural turf lately. We have been getting more rainfall, and the erratic temperature spells haven't been good either. Maybe need to think about an alternative.

The turf team at Arrowhead would probably disagree with this post.

 

[Macloney]

So, this is real.

Coastal Carolina also has a teal field. It actually looks pretty good.

 

[flycy]

Kene, our return specialist, had at least three runbacks vs Drake where he could of taken it to the house after he turned the corner---yet wiped-out under his own feet because of the worst Power 5 surface in the country that day--by far. Rewatch the f-ing video of the game for cripes sake.

It's seems most of you were either drunk that day, or spending time drinking overpriced beer in the club area, or have a kid in the turf mgmt program.. So yes-- the field negated our speed drastically---which negated a few scoring opportunities. geezus. not rocket science

How good of a surface would field turf covered in slush have been? Not much better if at all.

 

[DesertClone1]

How good of a surface would field turf covered in slush have been? Not much if at all.

Shhhhh don’t bring facts into this.

 

[clonedude]

Natural grass is still safer, correct? I've heard players prefer playing on natural grass.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Natural grass is still safer, correct? I've heard players prefer playing on natural grass.

From what I understand it's fairly negligible at this point. If the field doesn't drain well both become slippery but typically there is a drainage system installed with the new turf. Grass is easier on joints, turf is faster.

 

[dualthreat]

How good of a surface would field turf covered in slush have been? Not much better if at all.

DURING a rain/snow storm it would have been a negligible difference, however, 20 minutes after the storm would have been totally different. These new artificial fields have amazing drainage. Give it 20 minutes after a heavy rain and the artificial surface would be almost completely dry. (Yes, really)

 

[Cydkar]

I’m pretty sure the field will be whatever Matt wants...if he really cares.

 

[clonedude]

DURING a rain/snow storm it would have been a negligible difference, however, 20 minutes after the storm would have been totally different. These new artificial fields have amazing drainage. Give it 20 minutes after a heavy rain and the artificial surface would be almost completely dry. (Yes, really)

Is a wet and muddy field any less safe?

I thought the whole issue with artificial field turf is that it doesn't give when you plant your foot, but natural grass does give, so on field turf your ankle, knee, or hip gives instead. So on a wet and muddy field the ground just gives even more easily, which saves your ankle, knee, hip, etc even quicker.

Everyone knows that turf is quicker, but that doesn't make it safer.

 

[CtownCyclone]

I think they are missing a number somewhere.

http://plans.print.iastate.edu/files/567/Project Manual.pdf

Looks like ISU will be supplying the sod, so that's a cost that won't be figured in to the contractor's bid number.

Substantial completion May 2021, so looks like we'll have one more season of the current turf to deal with.

 

[dualthreat]

Is a wet and muddy field any less safe?

I thought the whole issue with artificial field turf is that it doesn't give when you plant your foot, but natural grass does give, so on field turf your ankle, knee, or hip gives instead. So on a wet and muddy field the ground just gives even more easily, which saves your ankle, knee, hip, etc even quicker.

Everyone knows that turf is quicker, but that doesn't make it safer.

I didn't know we were talking about player safety/injuries. Is there any research out there that says artificial surfaces have more injuries? I'd be interested to read it if there is

 

[CoachHines3]

Natural grass is still safer, correct? I've heard players prefer playing on natural grass.

ya u dont get rug burns on natural grass

 

[tolfbfan]

ya u dont get rug burns on natural grass

I have no dog in this fight, but the high school fields I coach on don't typically cause rug burns. Black little rubber things everywhere, yes.

 

[VeloClone]

I have no dog in this fight, but the high school fields I coach on don't typically cause rug burns. Black little rubber things everywhere, yes.

I was running on a Field Turf field while my daughter had practice on Sunday like I often do. I started feeling like I was getting a blister on my big toe so I stopped running and took my shoes off. No blister yet, but I thought my run should be over for the day. I walked barefoot for a while and I could certainly tell that the field turf fibers have sharper edges and corners than grass. By the time I was done walking any calluses on my feet had been scrubbed off. To be fair, this is a relatively new field turf just under a year old. I have no idea if the edges get worn down over time.