Turfgrass America Welcomes Norman

HOUSTON -- Greg Norman gives a whole new meaning to Turfgrass America's purpose of "making a positive impact on people's lives and their environment."

Norman with Ralph Sanders, Director of TGA Research & Development Center.

Norman, who is better known for making a positive impact on a golf ball, was the featured speaker at Turfgrass America's field day at the company's research facility north of Houston Wednesday.

Several other industry experts joined Norman and gave presentations on turfgrass management. Landscapers, developers, golf course superintendents and other turfgrass professionals were invited to participate.

"I get a great deal of satisfaction out of working with the turf and design businesses," Norman said. "Through my design work on top of my more than 25 years as a player, I've come to appreciate and learn what qualities and aspects of turfgrass work in varying situations.

"The turfgrass industry is fascinating in the sense that the quality of the products has improved drastically over the years, and I see no reason that this trend will slow."

Turfgrass America holds exclusive distribution rights to Norman's GN-1 in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, New Mexico and Oklahoma. GN-1 was recently installed at Ravens Stadium in Baltimore for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, and was also used for Super Bowls XXXIII in Miami and XXXV in Tampa, as well as the 1999 World Series in Atlanta.

"GN-1's use is not limited to the fairway or sports stadiums," says Ike Thomas, Turfgrass America's CEO. "It establishes quickly and is easy to maintain making it a perfect grass for homeowners."

Working with high profile sports celebrities like Norman is nothing new for Turfgrass America, based in Granbury, Texas. The company is known as the world leader when it comes to installing natural turfgrass surfaces for sports fields and golf courses.

They are one of three turfgrass companies that collaborated to develop and install the portable natural turf football field for the Texans at Reliant Stadium.

Participants at the Houston event received an up close and personal look at the eight foot square portable turf sections used to create the Reliant playing surface and a demonstration of how the high tech field is constructed.

In addition to Reliant Stadium, Turfgrass America has installed natural turf playing surfaces for many professional teams including the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

The University of Texas and Texas A&M are among the many college football teams that play on Turfgrass America fields. If you're a golfer, chances are you've played a round or two on Turfgrass America fairways and greens.

Turfgrass America may be the choice of the pros but Ike Thomas is quick to point out that residential lawns account for the largest part of their business. "We want to make a positive impact on your environment," Thomas said. "We can install the same turfgrass for you that the Texans play on at Reliant Stadium."