NSG_Winter2017

L
ooking for the roots of some of the
most imaginative synthetic putting
greens in New England?
Well, you need look no farther than
Hamilton. It’s there, in a renovated old Volvo
repair shop on Route 1A, where you will
find Karen Moulton and her company, TM
Turfscapes.
Turfscapes installs a wide array of synthetic
pet areas, roof decks, patios and playgrounds,
but Moulton figures that about half of
her jobs come with three or more holes
and varying degrees of undulations and
graduated rough.
“The reason is that because when we start
talking about doing someone’s backyard,
invariably there is a golf lover in there who
asks how much more it would be to add a
putting green,” said Moulton, who grew up
in Ipswich and started the company in 2010
with the support of her husband, Tom, who
owns a landscape business.
Such was the case at one of TM Turfscapes’
most scenic installations near Lynch Park in
Beverly. The company was originally slated
to turf over a portion of a bluestone patio.
Instead, the owner upped the ante by adding
a kidney-shaped three-hole green that is
guarded by a pool just a flop shot away, not
to mention that the Atlantic Ocean is no
more than a 8-iron beyond that.
(Moulton says she cannot take credit for
the miniature orange T. rex that hovers over
the green, much like its larger, iconic version
has done for so many years on Route 1
in Saugus.)
There really is no limit as to where
Moulton and her crew can spread her realistic
turf. From basements (often accompanying
golf simulators) to roof-top decks, she has
seen – and installed – it all from Camden,
Maine, to the Cape.
There is some maintenance involved, but
compared to the meticulous care that the real
McCoy demands it pales in comparison.
Mostly, Moulton says, it involves keeping the
green and rough free of leaves, pine needles
On her Turf
Karen Moulton’s company
spreading putting greens across
the North Shore and beyond
By BOB ALBRIGHT
and other debris that can eventually spread
its fibers and subsequently slow the roll of
the ball.
“We have replaced three (real) greens
where people had invested in the real
thing, but it just proved to be too much
maintenance for them,” she said.
Prices vary depending on the quality of
the turf and accompanying fringe and on
the foundation underneath. A rooftop
application that uses a pedestal system to
compensate for the natural pitch of the roof
can be the most costly.
Utilizing its patented SYNLawn technology,
TM Turfscapes offers four styles of nylon turf
- at four different price points. All turf comes
with a 15-year guarantee and generally rolls
between 10 to 12 on the Stimpmeter,
depending on how much sand is used, and
all greens are built to conform with noted
short game guru Dave Pelz’s “12 Elements of
Practice.”
To insure that you have ample room to
drain at least a winding 20-foot snake,
Moulton suggests that greens are at least
25 feet long and 20 feet wide. Adding
undulations, fringe and even bunkers are all
options, but will increase the cost.
“It adds up fast and it’s like putting in a
patio or a deck to your house,” Moulton
pointed out. “Like any capital improvement
to your home, you really want to take the
time to plan it out and do it right.”
All Turfscapes greens are receptive to short
chip shots of less than 30 yards. And those
with large backyards and those who want to
dip deeper in their bag can opt for the
company’s patented “shot stopper” technology,
which holds approach shots of 150 yards
or more.
“Anything can be done,” Moulton added,
with a smile.
Well, almost anything. Like we said before,
the bright orange T. rex is all on you. l
Bob Albright is a freelance writer. He can be
reached at ralbright33@comcast.net
An orange dinosaur guards the putting green installed at a waterfront
home in Beverly by Karen Moulton’s company TM Turfscapes.
PHOTOS: Spenser Hasak