Have you found yourself not getting sports fields lined before the lines get mowed off or faded out, then taking the extra time to restake corners and pulling a string using a string winder to follow and repaint the field(s)? The answer can be found by using turf and plant stress detection glasses and lenses.
During one of the 2011 annual SportsTurf Managers conference educational sessions covering new gadgets and processes a product was highlighted that was first introduced in 2008 to the golf course industry. Space age technology from NASA has given you the ability to spot stressed turf and plants close up and at a distance. Turf and plant stress detection glasses have been introduced by several manufactures/distributors. The special lens removes all the green color from the turf, allowing you to see stressed areas as a lighter color then healthy turf.
How does this apply to sports field line striping? Well this same technology can detect faint painted lines that may be undetectable by the naked eye, especially given the angle of the sun, yet can be spotted through using these lenses. At least one attendee indicated that the turf stress detection glasses have been a superb turf managers time saving tool. This can be even more important when repainting a sports field logo without having to replace and stake a custom sports field stencil.
Turf-Tec International displayed these glasses during the annual 2011 STMA Trade Show, two different priced models. This company is known for introducing new technologies to the golf and sports turf industry.
Other vendors found through a quick internet search included:
Underhill TurfSpy
Forestry Suppliers
Ben Meadows
How do build your own lenses by Dr. Barry Rock from the University of
New Hampshire
Looking for a quick method to layout a sports turf field? Check out the soccer, rugby, lacrosse, and ultimate frisbee layout tools using a MS Excel template to input field dimensions where the tool calculates the distances to the different staking points.Labels: Product_Review, Trends, Turf _Tips
