A sod laying machine having front and rear sections articulated together. A boom on the front section has arms extending forwardly, with gripper arms extending downwardly from the boom to grip a roll of sod. A control roller connected to the boom arms drives the sod roll to control its speed of unwinding. The sod roll has its grass side facing outwardly and its top unwinds rearwardly so an operator in a seat at the front of the machine, between the boom arms, has an unobstructed view of the critical area of sod extending in the air from the roll to the ground, to reduce the likelihood of buckles and tears therein. The machine passes over the sod after it is laid, to roll the sod.