TECHNICAL
Cruden Bay fairways in all their tan glory
where it was expected and, as a result, the greens were suffering with uneven applications causing stressed turf conditions. A simple check unearthed the problem and a quick adjustment to 5.5 bar gave the correct 22 metre radius that was required to give even coverage across the greens - simple check and easy resolve! Faulty sprinklers or set-up problems will soon be highlighted in these conditions; and at no other time does every drop count as much as when there is a drought. With some course managers claiming a 50 percent increase in water usage, and water restrictions in many places, it’s easy to understand why.
The heat is on, irrigating through hot weather
Our goal, when applying irrigation, is to irrigate in a similar manner to rainfall. Turf responds best when it receives adequate rain, then dries for a period, before receiving adequate rainfall again.
Irrigating in fierce temperatures, with hose pipe bans threatened or actioned, needs to be specific, with water targeted onto key areas such as the tees, greens and greens surrounds. Moisture content needs to be constantly monitored to help balance out the uniformity of irrigation.
With water conservation paramount, there should have been no qualms about taking hold of a watering hose and hand watering where and when needed! And, whilst there’s no denying this is laborious, with less time required for mowing it can easily be shared among the team.
Implementing this level of
micromanagement, especially on the greens, is good practice and conserves water, making sure the most important areas are taken care of first and foremost.
Act now for future gains
So many clubs react to extreme weather by seemingly panicking that their irrigation system isn’t up to scratch, and then, as soon as the weather’s back to normal, quickly forgetting about the frustration. My advice would be, not to do that! Have an extreme weather programme in place and invest now to ensure that if the same happens next year or the year after, you’re prepared.
Was brown the new green?
It’s undoubtedly fair to say that the sight of once lush bouncy fairways turned to barren tan grass was somewhat of a shock for many golfers, especially those at parkland clubs. The fact is, though, it wasn’t necessarily a negative thing. We know from our Scottish customers, such as Cruden Bay for example, these guys delighted in presenting their fairways to us in all their tan glory this summer, because it represents how the sport should be played in the natural environment. It is, after all, how links courses naturally look at that time of year! It’s also a look many overseas golfers, particularly Americans, love for links golf. That said, it’s not a year-round aesthetic and, whatever your preference for the colour of grass - which in the main is going to be a healthy green - there’s no fear that the familiar colour we’re mostly all partial too, will restore itself once the rain arrives and the old norm returns.
Sprinklers such as Toro’s dual trajectory DT series allow for immediate and easy adjustment
PC October/November 2018
121
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