Golf Mat

Abstract

A golf mat includes artificial grass fibers attached to and extending upward from a backing material, which may be one or more layers. The artificial grass fibers include groups of at least two different kinds of fiber sewn through a common path in the backing material. One of the kinds of fibers in each group is shaped so as to appear like a blade of grass. The other kind of fiber in each group is pre-stressed/crimped so that the relaxed shape of the fiber is nonlinear, resembling a curlicued or articulated form having lateral excursions. The lateral excursions cause portions of one such pre-stressed fiber to overlap and interfere with another, forming a mesh. The height of the pre-stressed fibers in their relaxed state in the turf is less than the height of the relatively unstressed artificial grass fiber(s). The crimped fibers form a resilient mat with impact characteristics similar to natural turf.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An artificial turf mat comprising:
 (a) a mat backing suitable for receiving fiber tufts; and   (b) a plurality of groups of fibers, wherein each group includes
 (i) at least one resilient first fiber pre-stressed to have a curlicued shape when not under tension, and 
 (ii) at least one second fiber shaped to resemble a grass blade, wherein the first and second fibers are tufted through a common path through the backing, and extend upward from the backing to a cut end, 
   
       wherein the first fibers extend upward from the backing a first height and the second fibers extend upward from the backing a second height greater than said first height, and 
       wherein the second height is in the range of about ⅞ inch to about 3 inches and the first height is in the range of about ⅝ inch to about 2½ inches. 
     
     
         17 . The turf mat of  claim 16 , wherein the curlicued first fibers of a first group extend laterally to overlap a range of curlicued first fibers of a second group, so as to form a mesh of overlapping fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The turf mat of  claim 17 , wherein the groups of fibers are in rows separated by distances in the range of about 0.350 inch to 0.375 inch. 
     
     
         19 . The turf mat of  claim 16  wherein the first fibers are made from nylon. 
     
     
         20 . The turf mat of  claim 16  wherein the second fibers are made from polyethylene.