Mike Buras is the Director of Grounds at the Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The Longwood Cricket Club was founded in 1877 and is composed of 25 grass courts and 19 Har-Tru clay courts. Mike is responsible for overseeing the preparation and maintenance of these 44 courts. As Wimbledon looms, Tennis View columnist Nick Nemeroff discussed with him what that complicated process entails.

Q:  What exactly goes into the construction of a grass court?

First of all, in high-end sports fields nowadays around the world, most of the soil is pure sand—100 percent sand—and the exception is tennis. It’s a heavier soil, meaning it has more clay in it than a conventional sports field. This produces a better ball bounce and will hold together once the inevitable amount of wear affects the baseline.

Q:  Do grass court facilities like Wimbledon grow new grass each year?

They do. A month after the championships are over, they start removing all the grass on all the championship courts and usually the practice courts and replant them.  

Q:  Do regular clubs with grass courts undergo the same type of procedures in terms of construction as a place like Wimbledon?

A little different, but pretty close. A lot of the clubs, including our club here at Longwood, are focused on a different type of season, whereas Wimbledon has this extreme two-week period.  It’s hard to compare the clubs in terms of the season, and how to maintain them and the level of players that are playing on them.

Q:  Besides cutting the grass, what else is done to maintain the courts after a day of play?

At all clubs, moisture and water management is huge. A grass tennis court cannot be played on when the court is wet because it is dangerous. You’re watering the grass every day in the heat of the summer because you’re worried about player safety. The health of the grass and water is the key ingredient to how firm the court plays. If you hold back the water and make the soil really dry, the ball is going to bounce higher. You have these three important factors: safety, health of the grass, and ball bounce—they are all affected by water management. 

Q:  Are there any specific tools used to maintain the courts and keep them in proper condition?

At the height that we are cutting, eight millimeters or 5/16th of an inch, a specialized greens mower is needed. It’s fine-tuned to a tenth or a hundredth of an inch. It’s very precise. One other major thing for tennis that is unique is marking the lines of the court. The grass is growing, and you’re mowing off the paint. It’s a latex, athletic paint, so at Wimbledon the lines get painted every day. It’s a tedious, highly skilled job to make sure it’s accurately sized. The grinding of the players’ shoes and the mowing wears down on the lines.

Q:  For players looking to prevent injuries and keep their bodies in stable condition, would you recommend that they play on grass?

Absolutely. It’s much easier on your joints. That’s what happened here at this club: a lot of people really enjoy it because the workout is easier on your body.

Q:  Do most grass courts play quickly and experience lower bounces?

Yes, and that is the point. At the highest level, at Wimbledon, their goal is for it to bounce at about 80 percent of asphalt (hard court). The bounce is there, but you still have the texture of the grass that won’t grip the ball as much as a clay court will. Even though the court is firm, 80 percent of asphalt, the ball can still skid more and not grab as much.

Q:  What type of factors could vary the playing conditions?

Moisture in the soil, the types of soil, and the type of grass and the amount of a cushion different grasses have.

Q:  Many have observed that the courts at Wimbledon have been playing slower over the last few years. What would be the explanation for this?

They’ve changed the species of grass that’s predominantly used on the courts.  The technical term is it produces a lot less thatch or organic matter, meaning the sponginess of it. It’s not as spongy as the old type of grass they used to have there.

Q:  Why has Wimbledon changed the species of grass?

It wears much, much better. They’ve done a ton of experimenting with different grasses. Nowadays, you might watch the final and say “There’s a lot of wear on the baseline.” But if you were to go back and look at a picture just from 10 years ago, there’s a dramatic difference in the amount of wear that’s on the court—a lot less.

Q:  How much tougher is it to maintain your footing and balance when the court is worn down at the baseline?

It’s not a lot harder because of that soil that sticks together. It’s not really affecting the game that much. Your footing is still good, and a lot of that is behind the baseline, so it’s not affecting the ball bounce either.