Carpet Tees

[cooker]

Looking for some help from those that have experience with carpet tees. Any and all input is welcomed!

Shag or berber? Upside down or right side up? How is the carpet held in place?


I've got some 3.5'W x 8'L berber style carpet that I'm going to use in a few flat locations at my home course. I also have some 4'Lx4"x4" pt posts. I was thinking I'd level the posts along the front and back of the tee just above ground level, then spread 1-2" of crush&run6 over a 10'x 6' area, then screw the carpet to the posts and stake it down along the sides.

What are your thoughts on that plan?

Thanks

 

[biscoe]

Your plan sounds fine. Once carpet gets rained on a time or 2 it is not going anywhere screwed down or not. Right side up.

The ones I have done recently I have closed in the front and the sides with the 4x4's and left the back open for the guys with the pterodactyl runups. Fill with sand, cover with carpet. (I use sand because I have it and it is free. Crush and run would be better.)

 

[ohtobediscing]

Right side up. We've used garden fabric staples [about 4" long] to hold it down. We don't use boards anywhere 'cause the city can mow right over the tees [dgc is on a public greenspace], and no one trips over the front board.

 

[kenjiac]

We have them on the short tees at one of our local courses. We just raked out the spots level and nailed them down with 6" nails. Tee board is in front and nothing else. The ground is compacted and slightly sandy so there was no real prep for us. They work great at stopping the rutting that happens from planting your feet for the drives. We used short berber right side up.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Question: does carpet allow water to seep through, or does it accumulate on top?

My main experiences with carpet tees consist of carpet laid on top of a piece of plywood, slightly elevated from the ground by a frame of (presumably) either 4x4 or 2x4's.

Water tends to build up on these, but I could never ascertain if it's the plywood base or the carpet that's holding the moisture.

 

[DougCrawford]

The bottom of carpet isnt watertight- so if the ground below it can drain, the carpet should too. The fibers will hold water for a little bit though. Sand or gravel under should help it drain better.

The plywood is likely holding the water. Drilling a bunch of holes in it would probably help drainage.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

its the base. Carpet has little holes in the backing like a plastic mesh.

 

[DavidSauls]

We have them at Stoney Hill. Both berber and that short, commercial office or indoor/outdoor stuff (we salvage carpet where we can, and I'm far from an expert). We once had shag, but it tattered pretty fast.

When we started, with laid it upside-down. It worked great, but the cords in the base frayed very quickly, either from use or sunshine. Now all of ours are rightside-up.

Our ground is hard clay. We smooth it out real good, put the carpet down on ground level, and nail it with 8" spikes in the corners. Every year, a couple of them have to be pulled up, and the ground re-leveled.

We've only raised them in low spots, or spots where water might run across them. If you have a place where heavy rains cause mud or clay to wash over the tee, the carpet retains the mud and quickly becomes slick. (In low spots, they just soak up water and hold it it way too long).

Every year, a handful of tees need to be replaced (of the 26 or so that we have).

Our course is private and gets light use, so a heavily-used public course would likely have different results---on having to replace tees, and having to smooth the ground, especially where the plant foot lands. Though far less than on dirt tees.

 

[Jukeshoe]

Thanks! That was my suspicion, but I could never be 100% sure...

The tees I'm thinking of are on a few holes at a nearby course, so unfortunately no hole-drilling...

 

[Noill]

the water should penetrate and soak down... it was the plywood... they should have drilled holes in the plywood to allow the water to penetrate through the carpet and escape through the holes...

fwiw carpet is both an excellent teepad but I really don't like it... I've seen astroturf used and that seems more appropriate for outdoors use

I've used rubber mats but they hold water obviously

how long do carpet tees last when done correctly?

 

[Aim For The Chains]

I imagine it really depends on the quality/style of carpet being used as well as amount of traffic. Its been used for erosion control previously but starting to be looked down at due to the possible chemical run off from the synthetic materials. I have pulled up 30 year old carpet though in a yard which was used on a hillside with some grass grown in and still in fine shape. It was crazy how tough the top of the ground was too.

 

[ohtobediscing]

Thanks! .....The tees I'm thinking of are on a few holes at a nearby course, so unfortunately no hole-drilling...

With a battery-powered drill, under cover of darkness, and drilling through carpet-----


only the Shadow knows.

 

[Jukeshoe]

^ha!

 

[LetsPlayGolf]

Howdy-

I have carpet for all tees at Disc Side of Heaven for several various reasons...

Like others have said, right side up. I spike mine down with an 8" nail and a 1 1/4 inch washer. Footing is really good even after a rain. Some of my tee pads have been down since October 2013 and are still in decent shape.

No Shag, too much grip and can twist an ankle or a knee.

I believe it is a very viable option if there is not enough revenue for concrete.

This summer I do plan on pulling some up and doing some leveling, but the overall maintenance is very low.

Just don't try to run over it with a John Deere lawn tractor that has major suction from the blades..... the carpet nor the tractor like that very much.

 

[mashnut]

The washer is important, I've seen just spikes get pulled through and then the carpet starts to bunch up and shift. That's more of an issue on dry ground where you don't get much rain, if the carpet gets good and soaked a few times it tends to glue down to the ground better.

 

[DavidSauls]

The washer is important, I've seen just spikes get pulled through and then the carpet starts to bunch up and shift. That's more of an issue on dry ground where you don't get much rain, if the carpet gets good and soaked a few times it tends to glue down to the ground better.

We haven't used washers, but should. We've had a few 50 mph winds pull up a couple of tees like that.

For myself, the grippiness of carpet is fine, and they're much better for my old knees than concrete. And they allow private courses to tweak the layout.

 

[DavidSauls]

Just don't try to run over it with a John Deere lawn tractor that has major suction from the blades..... the carpet nor the tractor like that very much.

Hah. I've had to sheepishly tell my brother and course co-owner that I've shredded a tee pad far too many times. Usually with a bushhog-type mower, so all of the damage is on the carpet.

 

[Countchunkula]

As far as material, Olefin would be the best choice. It absorbs almost no moisture (the fibers that is), much less than either Nylon or Polyester. Olefin is most commonly found in cheap berbers. I believe Olefin is the trade name for polyethelene, but don't quote me on that.

Since the amount of carpet needed for a tee is minimal compared to a room, it might be worthwhile to contact a few carpet installers to inquire about remnants. Small pieces that might be useless to them could work for dg.

 

[joesouthfla]

I recently installed some indoor/outdoor carpeting that I got from a restaurant. It was pretty nasty on the top side so I installed it bottom up. I also used the 6" nails with large washers. So far So good.

 

[Noill]

everyone seems to be using spikes... has anyone tried spiral anchors? I think that would hold better even against 50 mph winds... just a thought

edit: just checked some out... things are pricey... thinking that the spikes are a better bet for the price point