It doesn’t matter if your golf course is brand new or well established, sand trap maintenance is one of the most time consuming jobs for busy groundskeepers.  Heavy rains and inadequate drainage systems can cause standing water in the bunker, causing more of a hazard than desired.

Spring time is a busy time for all golf courses.  Aeration, thatching, fertilizing and grooming all areas must be done early in the year to prepare for a busy season and provide the best course possible for your golfers.  The rainy season requires more cutting and trimming, not to mention planting the annual flowers to brighten up the color of the landscape.  The heavy rains also play havoc on the sand traps, requiring more maintenance.

Drainage pipes eventually become clogged with sediment and sand. Standing water on sand traps should be removed as soon as possible to prevent contamination and bacteria growth, not to mention the complaints of the golfers.  The depth of standing water may affect how you will remove it. There are several ways to deal with your sand trap maintenance.

Sump pumps are one answer.  Gas powered pumps some in various sizes and models.  When pumping water out of a sand pit a trash pump works best.  A 2” diameter centrifugal pump weighs about 100# and will pump about 210 gallons per minute. First you must transport the pump to the trap, hook up the hoses and lay them out. All screens on the suction end must be very fine and intact or you could lose a lot of sand in the process.  Prime the pump and start the engine.  Where will you pump the water?  You must have plenty of hose to disperse the water a great distance from the bunker.  The discharge hose must be moved often to prevent over saturating another area of the course.  This method may require more than one groundskeeper and subsequently slow down your sand trap maintenance schedule.

A tractor mounted pump is an easy way for one groundskeeper to remove standing water from a sand trap.  The Bunker Blaster is a one-man operation and can drain an average sand trap in less than ten minutes at 300 gallons per minute.  The powerful sprayer can be directed easily with the hand lever behind the operator, shooting the water over 70 feet without getting off the tractor.  The water can also be pumped over 100 feet away with a quick connect hose adaptor.

Constant standing water may be a sign of a major draining issue.  The bunker may have to be stripped and reconstructed.  This major project involves replacing drain tiles and the layers of sand and gravel under the sand trap.  If the pit is in an excessively deep bunker, the surrounding areas may be contributing to the natural water drainage.  Run off water may need to be rerouted around the perimeter of the sand trap.

Sifting and straining the sand is an important step in your sand trap maintenance plan.  Doing so will aid in air space for water drainage and remove rocks and debris.  Convenient trailer mounted screening units make it easy to recycle and rejuvenate the sand in your bunkers.

Sand is the most widely used top dressing for bunker maintenance.  New products have become available that claim they are less dusty and provide better drainage than natural sand.  This mixture of calcium carbonate claims it will not clump or harden and is safe for the surrounding turf.

No golf course can afford down time from water filled bunkers.  Work with your crews to create the best sand trap maintenance plan for your golf course.

Golf course turf management is a full time profession and in some areas of the country, a 365 day job. Superintendents are constantly trying to find new ways to keep the greens and fairways in pristine condition without jeopardizing the budget. Purchasing durable quality equipment is important to assure minimal down time. Many golf course turf equipment companies are continually improving their products to make golf course upkeep quicker and easier. One unit that is capable of aerating, dethatching, mowing, and sweeping is attractive to superintendents and the purchasing department of the company.

It is a costly endeavor to purchase a machine for every turf maintenance task. Companies that offer quick change turf cassette options are becoming very popular. Depending on your budget and the size of your course you might choose a walk behind machine that can handle all of the following functions. If you mow with a John Deere, Jacobson or Toro tractor you may have the option of purchasing an attachment adaptable to your 3 point linkage system. Multi-tasking saves time and expensive labor costs. Changing the turf maintenance cassette only takes a few minutes.

The London Golf Club is one of the country’s finest golf venues and a European Tour destination. Covering 800 acres the estate includes two 18 hole courses and extensive club house facilities for both golfers and corporate guests alike. Opened in 1992 the greens are a credit to the 25 staff employed to oversee both the Jack Nicklaus designed ‘Heritage’ course as well as the ‘International’, undoubtedly one of the finest downland courses in Europe.

Ever mindful of the need to keep the course in tip top condition, the greens professionals have an array of machinery to aid them in that goal. One such piece of kit making a name for itself is the ATT TM SystemTM. Glenn Kirby, Assistant Course Manager, explained “We wanted to maintain the greens at their peak condition throughout the year and decided to look for an additional verticutting unit. However, whilst talking to Tim Merrell of The Grass Group at Saltex he showed me the TM SystemTM.”

He went on, “I wasn’t necessarily looking for a cassette based system but the build quality of the Ultra Groomer module caught my attention. Tim explained the results that could be achieved from using the system and he set up a demonstration and we were sold on it. I was initially convinced a cassette based system must be a compromise against stand alone machinery but the demo really impressed us and that impression has stayed. I especially liked the idea that the system could be added to and that I didn’t have to buy the whole package in one go.”

Glenn recognized their weak area was in grooming, rolling and brushing and believes the TM SystemTM has given him the tools to deal with the tricky times of the year, like the spring with the Poa seed head flushes. The club was cautious in attracting premium rates and golf days at those times of the year but now feel the application of the Ultra Groomer as a significant compliment to Verticutting to bring the greens to peak condition.

Since having the system the units have been used every week. Glenn expanded, “On tees we’ve found them invaluable in removing organic matter, and on a longer height of turf - one pass over and the grass is standing much more upright to give a better quality of cut afterwards”.

The speed of adjustment has really impressed him and given him an option he never really had in the past by being able to adjust in situ. For example he can get out on the putting greens in the morning and see what is being pulled out of the first green. Then he can make the necessary adjustment, on site, rather than having to go back to the workshop – just a couple of clicks and it’s done.

Along with the Ultra Groomer cassettes the club also included the Vibration modules and brush attachments.

Glenn has been quick to develop the use of the vibration units, with brushes attached, ahead of mowing. He says that it goes against established practice, but the action of the brushes lifts the grass to an upright position and exposes the seed heads to be cut off by immediately mowing. He says the units allow for faster recovery out of the renovation week and is very enthusiastic about experimenting further with the versatility of the system.

GCSAA Members,

The hurricane season is upon us and according to all reports Irene is packing a heavy punch. Our thoughts are with you, your staff and your families as you prepare for potential damage and execute the necessary recovery.

When trouble strikes GCSAA members, your association is here to lend a hand. If you, or a fellow GCSAA member has been impacted please contact me at revans@gcsaa.org or 800-472-7878, ext. 4401. As our mission states, we are here to serve our members, and that means we are here to serve you.

Please access the following online resources to assist in your security, safety and facility management. The following link from the GCSAA website http://www.gcsaa.org/Course/Seasonal/Flooding.aspx provides articles, links and webcasts to address the recovery from such storms.

The EPA also offers a resource to help in your personal preparation and protection: http://www.epa.gov/hurricanes/

The EPA offers these suggested steps in your planning:

The first step is to assemble an emergency kit. Items that the kit should include are the following:

• Water - one gallon of water per person, per day for at least 3 days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food - at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable food
• Radio - battery powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone and alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust Mask - helps filter contaminated air
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape to keep shelter in place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench and pliers (to turn off utilities)
• Can opener (for food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
• Prescription medications and eye glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container

Make a plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance: how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.

Third step is to stay informed. Hurricane hazards come in many forms: lightning, tornadoes, flooding, storm surge, high winds, even landslides or mudslides can be triggered in mountainous regions. Look carefully at the safety actions associated with each type of hurricane hazard and prepare your family disaster plan accordingly. But remember this is only a guide. The first and most important thing anyone should do when facing a hurricane threat is to use common sense.

Again, our thoughts are with you.

Sincerely,

Rhett Evans
GCSAA Chief Executive Officer

Commercial turf equipment is a major investment for a golf course.  It makes sense to purchase quality adaptable units that can perform multiple tasks.  Combinations units are a great investment because they can do more than one job at one time, saving your company labor and fuel costs.

Specialty equipment designed for the extreme use on busy golf courses must be able to withstand the demands inflicted upon it.

Pedestrian walk behind commercial turf equipment offers several options.
Many golf courses prefer walk behind mowers for the putting greens because operators maintain control and the end result is an even precise green that cannot always be achieved with a riding mower.  Walk behind greens mowers can offer dual functionality with interchangeable cassettes.  Another application can be performed quickly by removing a few bolts and sliding in the new cassette.  A single power unit can cut, dethatch, aerate and groom the greens with various attachments and a wrench.  Save your company the cost of buying a separate machine for each task by purchasing less expensive cassettes to complete the job more economically.  Spike roller attachments will break through the top dressing and provide some aeration relief allowing the air, water and nutrients to penetrate to the root system.  Brushes for grooming and debris collection will keep your golf turf clean with little effort.

Trailer mounted commercial turf equipment attachments easily connect to the back of your tractor or mower.
Towing equipment behind your tractor gives groundskeepers the ability to multi-task.  Lawn rollers can be seen behind the mowers at most golf courses in the spring.  The heavy water filled rollers will flatten out the bumps in the ground and create a smooth firm playing surface for your golfing guests.  Roughs and fairways can also benefit from a tow behind aerator.  A tow behind sweeper is effective in picking up loose grass clippings and leaves in unison with mowing the turf.

Tractor powered commercial turf equipment
A tractor set up with a 3 point linkage system can control aerators, rollers, sweepers, thatchers, seeders and more right from the driver’s seat.  The hydraulic controls make it easy to manage all operational functions of the power equipment.

Many units will perform multiple tasks at the same time.  Mow, brush and collect the trimmings with a triple floating head attachment for your John Deere, Jacobson or Toro machine.  The interchangeable cassette system is available for tractor mounted attachments too.

Another great new attachment for your power tractor is a pump attachment to blast the water out of the bunkers fast.  Direct the spray in any direction or use attachable hoses to pump the excess rainwater to a proper drainage area.

New specialty devices for tech savvy superintendents are available.
Robotics on the golf course?  Yes, commercial turf equipment developers have designed a programmable remote greens mower.  Not every golf course will be able to afford this luxury, and can a robotic mower cut with the same precision and pride as an experienced greenskeeper?

The high costs of fuel are affecting everyone as well as the golf industry.  Electric greens mowers have been introduced and are powered by rechargeable lithium batteries.  According to Kent Graff, Superintendent of Encinitas Ranch Golf Course, a lithium pack battery system is capable of cutting 18 holes without interruption.  These mowers are more efficient, require less maintenance and no worries of leaky hydraulic hoses ruining the turf.