Scalping —
Mowing the grass at a low height thereby removing too much blade surface and exposing brown stems and crowns. Reel mowers are prone to scalp only where the center of the turf area is higher than the supporting cutting unit ends. Scalping is caused by inability to follow contours as a result of excessive speed, improper skid or roller adjustment, too low a HOC, bumpy terrain, rough soil. Scalping also refers to the turf preparation done for overseeding.