how fast does a golf course dry

by Lue Graham 5 min read

Full Answer

How does water move through the surface of a golf course?

Water does not, however, only move across the surface; it also moves into the surface. Natural sports turf, such as on a golf course, is porous, with tiny pockets of air between the particles of soil, sand and vegetation.

What is golf course drainage and why is it important?

In particular, golf course drainage must maintain a holistic view of the course’s broader hydrology, taking into account not only the areas that are affected, but also potential impact to adjacent areas, and the broader system of arterial drainage (such as ditches, watercourses or culverts) that manage the movement of water around the course.

How does rain affect your golf performance?

We all know that playing in the rain is tough. Besides getting wet and clubs getting harder to grip, the wet conditions affect the performance of both your golf club clubs and balls. What exactly does rain do to your performance?

How do you wet test a golf club?

For wet testing, a spray bottle was used before the swing to wet both the club and ball with water. This simulated the wet conditions of light rain on the ball at impact. Make sure you click here to see the results! The test results here are only to give an idea on what a wet ball and club might do.

How long do golf courses take to dry after rain?

Most of the time, the system will allow golfers back out on the course when a twenty- to thirty-minute period of time has passed with no lightning strikes. Lightning can travel very far, and it is a very high risk for golfers.

How fast do golf courses drain?

According to Ramsay, they are roughly halfway through a 10-year drainage-overhaul process. "Each hole takes between 10 and 14 days," he says, adding cost varies significantly. "At Yale Golf Club, it is between $10,000 and $80,000 per hole, depending on the severity of the issues."

Do golf courses get rained out?

Typically, most golf courses won't close when it's raining unless the deluge is heavy enough to render the fairways and greens unplayable, or if the conditions pose any physical risk to competitors. If water begins pooling on the course or lightning is present, play will almost always be halted.

How do you dry a golf course?

Playing golf in the rain is not only possible but can be enjoyable with these helpful tips to stay dry on the golf course.Pack an Umbrella. ... Choose the Right Gloves. ... Toss in a Hat. ... Protect Your Gear. ... Invest in Waterproof Shoes. ... Have Lots of Towels Handy. ... Bring Hand Warmers. ... Go Big and Get a Rain Suit.More items...

Do golf courses drain well?

Drainage is fundamental to golf course architecture. If a course doesn't drain well, it will rarely play well. So figuring out how to move water off fairways and greens is nearly always at the top of an architect's mind.

Can you play on a wet golf course?

0:173:45So when you're coming down and impact a big way that you can get in trouble is if you come inMoreSo when you're coming down and impact a big way that you can get in trouble is if you come in shallow a lot of grass. Water gets between that golf ball. And it can go anywhere you know just knuckles.

Do golf courses get waterlogged?

“When you get more on top, you're reaching saturation point. If the roots haven't got any air, there's only so much time they can sit in water before they get weak and start to die off. That's why you'll see waterlogged grass start to go brown.

What does rain do to a golf course?

Rain makes greens slower than normal as the moisture on the ground and the ball slows it down. In instances of rain over a number of days greenkeepers will likely not be able to mow greens as normal meaning the grass will be longer and even slower. Putts on wet greens also take less break.

What do golfers do when it rains?

On a rainy day, the greens will be slow. Hit your putts harder than you do when the sun is shining and remember that the ball won't curve as much. If you hit a ball in the bunker, the sand will be firmer, so you won't have to swing as hard to get the ball out. The golf course will play longer because it's so soft.

Is golfing in the rain bad?

Looking for the best tips for playing golf in the rain? Just because it's raining doesn't mean it has to be a bad thing. Sure, the ball won't travel as far but you can usually play winter rules and have soft conditions that are primed to help you go low.

Can you play golf in heavy rain?

Golf can be played in almost all weather conditions, including rain. If you are going to play golf in the rain, you'll need appropriate waterproof attire and equipment to help keep you dry. You'll also need to adapt your strategy and club selection because the ball won't fly or run as far when it's raining.

1. Pack an Umbrella

A good quality golf umbrella is one of the simplest steps you can take to waterproof your golf game. Golf umbrellas are often large and sturdy, shielding both you and your equipment from the weather and gusts of wind.

2. Choose the Right Gloves

An adequate grip on your club is essential to a good swing in golf. In the best of weather, you’ll need a good pair of golf gloves to ensure the consistency of that grip and your game. When it storms, the need for good gloves skyrockets.

3. Toss in a Hat

A hat is always an excellent addition to your bag when heading for the course. On a sunny day, it’ll protect your skin from sun exposure. In the rain, it’ll keep your face from getting wet and make it easier to see through the downpour while you swing.

4. Protect Your Gear

A good-quality waterproof golf bag is perhaps the most important item on this list for playing golf in the rain. If you get a little wet, you’ll dry off with a towel and call it a day. But if your clubs get wet, this can severely damage them in the long term.

5. Invest in Waterproof Shoes

If you’ve invested in a good-quality pair of golf shoes, there’s a good chance that they’re already waterproof! Double-check before heading onto the course. The last thing you want to deal with while trying to focus on your game is wet feet.

6. Have Lots of Towels Handy

You can never have too many golf towels, even on the sunniest days. In the rain, you’ll want to make sure you keep everything nice and dry. Even the biggest golf umbrella will miss a few wet spots.

7. Bring Hand Warmers

You can't properly grip your clubs if your hands are too cold and damp to move! Have a couple of hand warmers in your pockets when heading onto the course. It can make a huge difference to both the quality of your game and your experience.

Why does my grass freeze?

Frost delays are caused when the temperature of the outside surface of the grass drops below the dew point during the night. This causes any moisture on the grass to freeze, thereby crystallizing the blades of grass.

Is Wired2Golf.com an affiliate?

Wired2golf.com is a member of Amazon Associates and other affiliate programs . As such, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases through links on this site at no extra cost to you. This helps us continue to create more great golf content!

Can you play golf in the frost?

Most golf courses will not allow you to play golf in the frost because it poses a significant risk to the turf on the course. For example, if one were to walk on frosted grass, this could cause damage that takes days, weeks, or even months to repair.

Can frost damage golf greens?

Frost will usually only damage golf greens if there’s a force applied to the green while it’s covered with frost – eg. animals/people walking on the greens, maintenance staff driving equipment, etc…

What is the most important thing to know about green speed measurements?

One of the most important things to know about green speed measurements is that they should not be used to compare one golf course with another. A green speed that is perfect for one course could be way too fast for a course down the road that has steeper green contours or golfers with different skill levels. There are simply too many variables involved to make reasonable comparisons.

What is putting green?

Putting greens are comprised of living plants that change and perform differently from season to season and even day to day. Temperatures, humidity, rainfall and routine maintenance practices all influence daily green speed. Maintaining the same green speed throughout the year is impossible, and letting a target number dictate management practices is a recipe for damaged greens and undesirable playing conditions.

What are the best ways to maintain fast greens?

While golfers hear a lot of discussion about courses with fast greens, they don’t hear as much about all that goes into providing those conditions. Lower mowing heights, regular topdressing, verticutting and hand watering are just some of the practices involved in maintaining faster greens. In addition, courses that maintain faster greens typically invest heavily in improving putting green growing environments by removing trees and enhancing drainage. The investments required on a daily and yearly basis to deliver faster green speeds are substantial, and beyond the budget of most golf courses.

Feedback

Just for kicks, I regripped a wedge tonight. Really poured the solvent to it (Golfsmith brand solvent & tape) and it dried completely in less than 30 minutes. FWIW .......

Feedback

30 minutes minimum,but I usually wait until the next day until I hit balls.

Feedback

I just regripped a putter with a SS 3.0 and it is taking for-flipping-ever for it to dry. Usually within a hour or so it is set, but this one was sitting for well over 6 hours and still spins free. May have to pull it and try again.

Feedback

Go get some paint thinner, naphtha or mineral spirits and just use a small amount. Work fast or you won't get it all the way on.

Feedback

The key to solvent is to use as little as necessary to get the grip on. By minimizing solvent use, you also minimize the dry / set time.

Feedback

As can be deduced by the previous posts, drying time largely depends on the solvent used. (Of course, this discussion is moot for the OP since the time, and playing opportunity, has passed...two and a half years ago.) Odorless mineral spirits is the absolute worst in my experience.

Feedback

The key to solvent is to use as little as necessary to get the grip on. By minimizing solvent use, you also minimize the dry / set time. I use nothing but water based solvent and water based tape and my customers can play their clubs within 35 minutes.

image

Primary Drainage

  • A primary drainage system consists of a series of ‘lateral’ drains installed across the area in question, connecting to a ‘main’ carrier pipe that channels the water collected by the system to an outfall. So far, so simple. The key determining factors in the effectiveness of primary drainage systems are: lateral specification, drainage design, and ...
See more on turfdry.com

Lateral Specification

  • The conventional specification for lateral drains suggests perforated plastic pipes – usually 60mm or 80mm in diameter. It should however be noted that 60mm pipes are becoming increasingly unpopular, as 80mm pipes offer greater total capacity for the drainage system, and only involve minimally more disruption during the installation process. Water enters the plastic p…
See more on turfdry.com

Lateral Spacing

  • As a result of the wide range of variable factors involved (soil types, course gradients, pedestrian and machinery tracking routes, rainfall statistics for the location, maintenance regimes, etc.) there is no practical scientific formula to determine the ideal drain spacing for any particular course. However, Hooghoudt’s Drain Spacing Equation shows that any percentage increase (x) in the am…
See more on turfdry.com

Secondary Drainage

  • In cases where functional, but inadequately spaced primary drainage systems exist, secondary drainage solutions such as sand-banding or ‘earthquaking’ may prove effective in encouraging surface water that moves across the pitch to find its way more efficiently into the primary drains, thereby increasing the rate of drainage. This can lend a new lease of life to an aging draining sys…
See more on turfdry.com