Grooming turf is an especially important maintenance practice. Over time, bent grass leaves will tend to "lay over" and grow in a more horizontal habit. In this prostrate position, it is easier for the mower to pass over the leaf tissue without actually cutting the length of the turf. As this trend continues, the plant is forced to supply more energy to these "leggy" leaves and thus these leaves get longer, fatter and lay over even more. Over time, plant density and ball roll are adversely affected. Grooming is the process wherein mechanical blades spinning downward pick-up the laid over leaves so that the bed knife can clip the plant closer to the crown. The crown of the plant is the control center and from the crown comes the distribution of energy. If the leaves are cropped tighter there is less leaf tissue demanding energy and the crown of the plant can re-allocate its resources to new nodes and tillers. This process creates a denser, tighter turf that is healthier and more suitable for consistent ball roll.
