A putting green does not forgive the things a lawn shrugs off. A few leaves, a thin patch of infill, a cup half full of rainwater: each one changes how the ball rolls. The good news is that the care is simple and most of it takes minutes. This post walks through the routine from our Tour Master after-install guide, the one that keeps a green playing the way it did on install day.
One thing to confirm before you follow any of it. We install two putting surfaces, and they are not the same material. Tour Master is a texturized polyethylene green, and this post is written for it. Tour Master Pro is a nylon green with a different fiber and its own care instructions. If your green is Tour Master Pro, call us for its care instructions. Do not assume the infill below applies to it. The difference between the two lines is covered in our post on poly versus nylon putting turf.
The first 30 days: let the green settle
Seams on a new green are bonded with an adhesive that keeps curing after the crew leaves. For the first 24 hours, keep foot traffic light and keep furniture, coolers and equipment off the surface.
Over the first two weeks you may notice fine sand on the surface. That is normal. The 30/50 silica infill is settling into the fibers. Brush it back in with a stiff synthetic broom. Do not sweep it off and do not blow it off. The green needs that sand.
Within the first 30 days, putt from every cup. Note any spot where the ball rolls slow, bounces, or breaks off line. Call us with the list and we will top off the infill and re-brush that area at no charge.
The routine that keeps the roll true
The schedule below is the one in the Tour Master guide. None of it is hard. The point is to do it on time, because a green drifts slowly and you rarely notice until putts start missing.
Weekly: blow it off
Use a leaf blower on low, held at an angle, and pick up anything it misses. Leaves and twigs left on the green break down into soil. Soil grows weeds and slows the roll.
Every two to three weeks: brush the whole green
Brush the full green with a stiff synthetic broom in two or three directions. Give extra attention to the area around each cup and to your favorite putting lines, because that is where the fibers get pressed down most. Brushing keeps the infill even and stands the polyethylene fibers back up.
Even infill matters on a green because infill depth is one of the ways the speed of the green is set. A thin patch and a full patch play at different speeds.
Monthly: rinse and clear the cups
Rinse the green with a garden hose to remove dust and pollen. Clear debris and standing water out of every cup. Then walk the edges and seams and look for lifting or loose spots. Small issues are easier to fix before they grow.
Each season: ball-roll check and weeds
Do a ball-roll check from every cup, the same test you ran in the first month. Pull any weeds along the perimeter by hand. In fall, blow leaves off more often: twice a week during heavy drop. Fall leaf drop and spring pollen are the two biggest maintenance seasons in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Shoes, chipping and what stays off the green
Wear flat-soled or soft-spike golf shoes on the green. Metal spikes are out. If you chip onto the green, do not take a divot from the putting surface.
Keep vehicles, mowers and ATVs off the green. Lift and carry furniture, coolers and equipment on and off the green rather than dragging them. Keep grills, fire pits and heaters well away from the surface, and never drive stakes, staples or nails through it.
For cleaning, the rules match our lawn turf. Use a stiff synthetic broom or a plastic-bristle brush only. No wire brushes, no rakes, and no pressure washer at close range. Rinse spills with water right away and use mild dish soap for anything sticky. Keep solvents, bleach, petroleum products and harsh weed killers off the turf. Our turf maintenance guide covers the lawn side in more detail.
One more hazard that has nothing to do with play. Energy-efficient (Low-E) windows, glass doors and shiny surfaces can focus sunlight onto turf and melt or distort the fibers. If you see a shiny streak or a warped patch near a window, tell us right away. A screen, film or awning usually solves it.
Infill: the one thing never to change
This is the rule that matters most on a green. Tour Master uses fine 30/50 silica sand only. Never add any of these:
- Envirofill
- Coated sand of any kind
- Standard 20/40 silica sand, the infill in our Signature 50 and Reserve lawns
They ruin the roll. If the green feels thin or a spot has gone slow, call us before adding anything. We will check the level and top it off with the right sand.
The annual service
Once a year, book a professional service. For a Tour Master green it covers four things:
- A deep power-brush across the whole green.
- An infill check and top-off.
- A seam and edge inspection.
- Cup service.
This is the visit that restores tournament-ready speed. It is also when we catch a seam or an edge starting to lift before it turns into a repair. The power brooming, re-infilling and seam work are the same jobs listed on our maintenance and repair page.
When to call us
Call us within the first 30 days if any cup rolls slow or off line, any time a seam or edge lifts, before you add infill, and once a year for service. The full schedule, the do and don't list, and the spill fixes are on the Tour Master care guide page, and the guides for our other lines are in the care guide hub. If you are still deciding on a green, the design process is on our putting greens page. For a green that is not rolling right, call or text (469) 797-0334.