Ace of a decision

The Breakers Palm Beach is making tennis history thanks to the ingenuity of a golf course superintendent.

The luxury South Florida resort recently opened its fully renovated tennis and racquet facility with 16 new courts, including the first hydroponic grass courts. The turfgrass selection for the new court technology is Platinum TE Paspalum. The $12 million redesign of the world-class complex now showcases three sports — tennis, pickleball and padel — on three surfaces (grass, clay hydro and cushioned hardtop).

Director of golf and grounds maintenance Mike Reid’s experience with Platinum TE Paspalum and CapillaryFlow made the effort possible. Platinum TE is the turfgrass used for the resort grounds, as well as the fairways, roughs and tees of Ocean Course, while CapillaryFlow is utilized in bunkers. Reid concocted the idea to incorporate the paspalum turfgrass with the hydroponic system, which created the design foundation for the courts. Primary uses for CapillaryFlow are golf greens, tees and bunkers; equestrian arenas; baseball diamonds; and landscaping. The hydroponic grass courts at The Breakers represent a collaboration between Reid and Capillary Flow founder and CEO Martin Sternberg.

"When the grass court option was first proposed, I knew there would be agronomic challenges with wear on the baselines," Reid said. "We are a heavy-play facility, so I started to think outside the box. I was aware of CapillaryFlow being used in other sports arenas and was intrigued by the idea of growing grass without overhead sprinklers. Being involved in this groundbreaking project has been incredibly exciting."

CapillaryFlow is a closed-loop system consisting of an impermeable liner, drainage gravel, patented pervious cement, water basins with pumps and a sand layer over which natural grass grows. The system controls drainage and recirculates oxygenated and fertilized irrigation directly to the roots.

When selecting the turfgrass, Reid knew the attributes of Platinum TE would meet the challenges of the tennis application. Known for its durability, wear tolerance, and density, Platinum TE excels in high-traffic conditions. Reid also valued Platinum TE's shade tolerance, as sections of the grass courts fall in the shadow of the resort's Golf & Racquet Clubhouse.

The new courts also meet the high standards of Ken Thompson, longtime director of tennis at The Breakers. “I’m really impressed with how firm the courts are," he said. "The bounce is high, and the footing is great."

The consistent moisture control of the CapillaryFlow system and paspalum's waxy, dew-repelling cuticle help eliminate one of the challenges with grass courts: slipping.

"We are able to provide a safer surface," Thompson said. "Keeping the courts drier through underground irrigation and paspalum's ability to retard dew all help."

The height of the grass influences playing conditions as well. Reid, whose staff will be responsible for maintaining the courts, has dialed in what he believes will be the optimal height of cut.

"We're at .250 of an inch," Reid said. "That's right between our tee boxes at .450 and our greens at .125. The higher the cut, the better the wear tolerance, but also, the less bounce. I think we've found the sweet spot."

Reid will implement a rotation system with two of the four grass courts in play at all times. Rotation will be based on protecting the baselines where the majority of concentrated traffic will be. Due to extreme wear tolerance, he is confident that once Platinum TE reaches maturity after a full growing season, the courts will not require rotation as often.

"The Platinum TE has exceeded my expectations," Reid said. "The grass courts are in the highest profile area of the facility and really provide a wow factor. The beauty of the grass – whether you are playing tennis or golf, or looking out the hotel window – is stunning with the deep green color and striping. We've turned this place into Platinum TE Paspalum heaven."

Reid sourced the grass from Georgia-based turf farm Pike Creek Turf, one of a limited number of licensed Platinum TE growers worldwide.

"As a renowned luxury resort, we want to work with best-in-class vendors, and when it comes to turfgrass producers, I put Pike Creek Turf in that category," Reid said. "When selecting Platinum TE, I wanted to utilize a product that I was really comfortable with. I was confident Platinum TE was the right grass selection out of the gate. We wanted to set ourselves up to be as successful as possible. For anyone building grass courts, this combination – the CapillaryFlow system and Platinum TE – is the only way to go."