it sounds like you need a mower that is heavier by design. My Mascot rolls thru St Aug and Centipede with no problem. I dont think thatch is your problem. I hate to say it but the Scotts cant hold a candle to the Mascot. I have had a Scotts and returned it the very same day.

hope this helps.

keeley,

I've had the exact same problem w/ a Sears version of your mower. I think it's an issue w/ the weigh & design of the mower and the levelness of your lawn (my guess). My mower would bounce up when it hit dense Bermuda or when it hit a bump in the lawn. The rear wheel design along w/ the light weight of the mower contributes to this bounce. I think NEWORLEANS suggestion on the Mascot sounds good as it's a heavier mower and its design has a roller on the back very close to the blade so bouncing is minimized. You might also consider the Fiskars Momentum as it is also heavy, but I think you would need to raise the cutting height as I'm guessing by your problem that your lawn may be a little bumpy to cut that low. Check out the thread below for a review of the Fiskars.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reviews of several push reel mowers