Swing into spring with American Greens artificial turf

Coming this spring, the Quad Cities family-owned American Greens plans to swing its business into the commercial putting green course direction inspired by Tiger Woods’ Popstroke family-friendly courses. Owned by Anthony Long, American Greens is located at 975 40th Ave. in Bettendorf. It was founded in 1999. Mr. Long plans some fairly significant commercial-sized jobs […]

Coming this spring, the Quad Cities family-owned American Greens plans to swing its business into the commercial putting green course direction inspired by Tiger Woods’ Popstroke family-friendly courses. Owned by Anthony Long, American Greens is located at 975 40th Ave. in Bettendorf. It was founded in 1999. Mr. Long plans some fairly significant commercial-sized jobs in the putting course realm and at top golf facilities.  “I think where the trend of our business is headed, is in this commercial putting course direction,” he told the QCBJ. 

For example, American Greens is providing the turf in July for a unique course complex in DeForest, Wisconsin. It will feature two different courses, an easy and a more challenging 18-hole course. Each course is designed to appeal to different skill levels and age groups. And at the end of 2023 in Columbus, Nebraska, American Greens will provide the turf for a planned 18-hole course similar to miniature golf courses for those who need some recreational family time. “The varied types of putting courses open the door to a lot more participants,” Mr. Long said. Putting courses are a robust version of mini-golf. The course concept takes the scale of a golf course and shrinks it down to one-thirteenth or one-fourteenth the size of a full-scale course. It also incorporates turf bunkers, slopes, and water features to give customers a realistic putting golf experience. Among the other such projects in the works is a 33,000-square-foot facility slated to be installed in Tiffin, Iowa. American Greens services the Quad Cities bistate region as well as the entire Midwest, the company said. Overall it has expanded into 20 states. “Our motto is, have job will travel,” Mr. Long said. Some of the other states the company has expanded its reach to include Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. What’s more, American Greens goes beyond providing artificial turf just for golf courses — 60% of its commercial customers are daycares, schools, dog facilities, recreation centers, apartment complexes and lawns. Another 40% are placed at private residences. Most recently, the company installed 15,000 square feet of artificial turf in five Head Start daycare facilities in Sioux City, Iowa. The benefits of having artificial turf for daycares, dog facilities or any commercial businesses is that it is indestructible, lasts a long time, and drains well for indoor/outdoor use. Its products also protect kids and customers from harmful bacteria, because their turf has a silica sand infill that acts as an antimicrobial. This allows for a safe, clean, odorless surface, the company said. Forget about the dog digging holes in the yard, artificial turf is excellent to keep the yard looking great, the company promises. All of the artificial turf material is made from recycled plastic and there are alternative products that are made from soy. These products are more expensive, but can be installed if a customer would like a product that meets their environmental concerns, the company said. Do-it-yourself artificial turf projects with American Greens Major Series outdoor putting green kits are also available. The kit includes artificial grass putting turf that can be cut to requested specifications, fringe, accessories, and a numbered diagram with instruction manual. A do-it-yourself project depending on the square footage can cost $3,000-$7,000, whereas a professionally installed artificial turf can be $10,000-$30,000. Once artificial turf has been installed, American Greens said required maintenance is minimal and can be as simple as using a garden hose, a turf rake, cleaning solution, a leaf blower and pet deodorizer if needed.   Some of the best benefits of artificial turf is eliminating the time and effort it takes to maintain natural grass: no more weeds and no more mowing the lawn. The water bill also will be reduced, because artificial turf does not need to be watered.   Lastly, it’s safe for families and pets who will not be exposed to harmful chemicals sprayed on natural lawns, he said.  American Greens has been commended for its customer service and product quality for 24 years. “We’re a family-owned business and we’re very proud of that; we have fun together,” Mr. Long said.  Employing 14 people, including his father, aunt, cousin, friend, and crew members who all work together cohesively to provide the best product. Mr. Long credits his father, Mike Long, with founding the turf company after he was inspired by attending several Professional Golf Association (PGA) shows in Orlando, Florida. His father continues with the company as its director of sales. “My dad initiated the concept and met with some of the first creators to start providing artificial turf,” Mr. Long, who serves as its CEO and general manager, told the QCBJ.  After working for his father as a turf installer for a few years, he later contributed his expertise in scaling, growing, and deploying crews for small businesses as the owner.  Using his skills in creating a different brand and implementing digital marketing, the second generation leader is reaching more customers with their products. For more details, visit www.American-Greens.com.