Fastpitch on grass infields?

[Lozza]

1. Will teams play on grass infelds?

If its all that's avaliable? Yes. If they choose to go to a tournament? No. I wouldn't go to any tournament that was grass infields.

2. Has a local or national tournament ever been held on a grass infield and if so what was the response?

I'm Australian and national tournaments WON'T be played on grass infields. Simply won't happen. Most normal grounds here, if they're exclusivly softball grounds will not have grass infields anymore.

3. Will teams play on the new type of artificial turff know as Fieldturf or Prograss?

No, no, no, no, no.

4. Will teams play in a week long, 7 game guarantee event?

No. Not enough games. As others pointed out, that's usually what's played over a two day tournament.

 

[Sweet Pitch 96]

1. Will teams play on grass infelds?

If we know ahead of time, no way, no how, ever, ever, ever. It completely changes the dynamics of the game.

3. Will teams play on the new type of artificial turff know as Fieldturf or Prograss?

Only in the outfield would we even consider it.

4. Will teams play in a week long, 7 game guarantee event?

A week is way too long. We play easily 7 games in 2 days on a regular basis. You might be alright pushing it to 3 days.

 

[grass215]

To me, the best choice is the number 3. You should find good synthetic grass for your team.

artificial grass

synthetic grass

 

[AngelsFan01]

We just came back to our rec fields after a long remodel. All of the fields are 100% turf...infield and outfield. They worked well during the rec season; didn't see a noticeable difference in the momentum of the softball.

This weekend we are hosting the District ASA tournament - it's the first "real" test (compared to rec ball). We'll see how it goes!

 

[BrianMonk]

The artificial plastic grass fields (Fieldturf) aren't bad at all. It doesn't slow down the game, if anything, it speeds it up. Outfielders definately have to take a good angle to the ball othewise it scoots past them quickly.

A traditional field is best but for wet areas the advantage of an artificial field can make games playable that otherwise would be washed out.

 

[Coach JV]

a couple years back we entered a tournament where the venue was
at grass infields. There were lanes cut up each base path and a dirt
lane to pitching rubber. The high edge on the grass cuts made bunts act squirrely
to the point of being obnoxious. It was the first and last time we entered that
tournament, as the game has traditionally been played in the dirt

 

[Lozza]

The high edge on the grass cuts made bunts act squirrely
to the point of being obnoxious./quote]

Really? I've played on grass most of my life and I've never found that the ball acts squirrily. Usually it stops it dead.

 

[starsnuffer]

A lot of Japanese softball games are played on their major league fields, using the grass infields. They play much more small ball then we do here in the states, and they seem fine with it. The NPF also has two teams based out of the ESPN fields in Orlando, which use grass infields. If you watched the NPF game on ESPN a few weeks ago you would have seen this.

As long as it's short artificial turf or "golf course" type real turf, it's fine. We're not talking about regular old lawn type grass here.

That said, real skinned infields are preferable.

-W

 

[dbias]

We have fields with Field Turf on the infields and outfields with natural grass and a very good pitch. Lightning is the only thing that can stop play on those fields. the infields tend to be a bit quicker than natural dirt and little bouncier but those that practice indoors all winter adjust in a couple warmup turns. Sliding is another thing altogether. Not unusual for runner to slide totally over and past the base and get tagged out.

 

[Ivy's Dad]

My DD played on a 100% Field Turf field for a tournament once, and did not like it. She plays outfield, and if the ball was not caught in the air it would bounce like a rubber ball. While there were no bad hops, it did totally change the way the game had to be played.