A well constructed sports pitch and a quality surface well enhance the standard of the game being played and the players’ performance. Non league through to professional clubs and their ground staff aim to provide the best sporting experience within their budgetary constraints.

Professional advice can ensure you get the best pitch within your budget and will help avoid future performance issues, which can include poor surface drainage, sunken areas, excess compaction, and poor root growth.

A sports ground contractor can offer different construction and maintenance options. These should cater to your clubs requirements while delivering you a project to the highest standards and with minimal disruption to the club.

When choosing your sports turf contractor look for accreditations or associations they have from professional bodies which relate to pitch specifications, standards of work and materials used. These may be from the IOG or LDCA as examples.

Sporting bodies also offer advice and specifications for pitch construction for each sport. These can be found on the SAPCA website.

The site works for the following sports would typically involve the following:

Football & Rugby Pitch Construction

• Site set up.

• Strip the existing surface using a GKB Combinator or Koro Field Top Maker.

• Football or Rugby pitch drainage solution to include main drain and laterals, backfilled with drainage gravel and sand.

• Spread and laser grade sports sand / rootzone.

• Final ground preparation using a Blec Rotor Rake.

• Apply a pre turf or seed fertiliser.

• Surface installation with football turf or sports seed.

Bowling Green Construction

• Site set up.

• Excavation of the base.

• A bowling green drainage solution using a main and laterals backfilled with washed drainage gravel.

• Laser grade a gravel over the entire crown green bowls surface.

• Install concrete channels around the edge of the playing surface.

• Laser grade rootzone across the surface.

• Apply a pre turf or seed fertiliser.

• Surface installation with Bowling Green turf.

Cricket Wicket Construction

• Site set up.

• Strip the existing surface using a GKB Combinator.

• Install cricket wicket primary drainage solution using a main drain and laterals back filled with washed drainage gravel and drainage sand.

• Spread a gravel carpet to create a drainage layer.

• Spread and laser grade topsoil.

• Spread and laser grade heavy loam topsoil.

• Spread and laser grade topsoil.

• Final ground preparation by hand raking.

• Apply a ryegrass Cricket sports seed.