what area of the golf course does the turf cat mow

by Jodie Kuhic Sr. Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago 7 min read

What are the most commonly mowed areas on a golf course?

Sep 12, 2019 · Now is the time to prepare golf course turfgrass for surviving the upcoming winter. In some cases, winterkill mirrors shade patterns. Photo by Kevin Frank, MSU. Every year since the record shattering winter of 2013-2014 killed turfgrass across the mid-west and northeast, somewhere in the north turfgrass has suffered winterkill.

How often do golf courses Mow fairways and roughs?

Apr 20, 2018 · Golf courses use distinct mowing heights to distinguish between different playing surfaces, some of which are so short that it’s easy to forget golf is played on living plants. But achieving low mowing heights isn't easy, it takes specialized equipment and agronomic expertise. To help put things in perspective, compare a putting green to your home lawn. It’s quite …

What is the role of mowing on a golf course?

Today, one in four of the world’s top 100 golf courses rely on mowers built by Lastec. Featuring multiple small articulating decks to hug rolling terrain, our range of Lastec Golf Course Mowers are ideal for mowing large areas of rough or surrounds with challenging contours on your course.

What makes a good golf course turfgrass mower?

Jul 05, 2017 · The initial investment will be costly, however. Those small backyard putting greens that simulate a golf course can run you almost 5,000 dollars. Also, because of the dark green color of the turf used for golf, the heat generated by the synthetic turf might prove to be unbearable for many players.

What is the mowed area between the tee and the green?

Fairway. Each fairway measures approximately 30 to 50 yards across and stretches between the tee box and the green. The closely mowed grass makes hitting the ball from the fairway easier than from other areas of the course, so the goal generally is to place the ball in the fairway with your tee shot.

What height are golf greens cut at?

0.125-inch

Today's putting greens typically are maintained at or below a 0.125-inch height of cut – i.e., one eighth of an inch. To better appreciate how low that really is, two quarters stacked on top of each other would be slightly higher than 0.125 inch.Feb 3, 2016

What is the short grass on a golf course called?

Bentgrass. Bentgrass is one of the most popular types of grass planted on golf courses. It's available in many varieties, commonly found in cool summer and coastal regions. It's short, even, and flat, making it the perfect match for putting greens and courses.Apr 12, 2021

What are fairways cut at?

Part of a video titled Basic Fairway and Rough Mowing - YouTube

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So you can watch the cutting line easier while you mow. The reels are relatively small in diameterMoreSo you can watch the cutting line easier while you mow. The reels are relatively small in diameter to help provide a smooth cut at lower heights.

How short is the grass on golf greens?

The newest mowers allow superintendents to mow grass below 3mm in height, which will produce faster green speeds. Your average golf course will cut the greens every morning before play at 3.5mm height and will be rolled two to five times a week right after mowing.Aug 6, 2015

How do golf courses get grass so short?

To keep the grass so short on greens, special mowers are used. Golf course mowers are reel mowers, not rotary like most lawn mowers used at home. The reel spins and cuts the grass like a tight scissor cut. The cut height is set by adjusting the difference between the front and rear rollers.

What turf is used for golf courses?

The greens are predominantly fine fescue with some highland bent grass. The greens, surrounds and fairways are overseeded at the end of every season with pure fescue.Jun 4, 2020

What is the long grass on a golf course called?

Bentgrass. Available in several varieties, bentgrass is found on golf courses in cool summer or coastal locations, including in the North, Mid-Atlantic, coastal California and the Midwest.

What is coarse grass?

Coarse grasses (also known as weed grasses) are simply patches of different grass species within a lawn. Where different grasses are easily and clearly distinguishable, coarse grasses are more than likely present. Early identification and removal are vital, as there are no chemical controls for coarse grass in lawns.

How do you mow fairways on a golf course?

The most common fairway mowing methods are striping, contour mowing, the classic cut, and pushing and pulling. Striping – This is the method practiced by most golf courses. Stripes are often mowed in at least two directions to create a checkerboard pattern. This method creates a striking aesthetic appearance.Mar 26, 2010

How long does it take to mow fairways?

Mowing 20 to 30 acres of fairways can easily necessitate between 6 and 10+ labor hours each mowing. In addition to labor costs, fairway mowing costs includes fuel use, mower wear, equipment maintenance and blowing or removal of clippings.Sep 6, 2019

What length is fairway grass?

0.38 to 0.45 inches

Fairways can be mowed from 0.38 to 0.45 inches while roughs are maintained between 1.0 to 1.25 inches in summer. Mowing heights are raised slightly in the fall, as soil temperatures decrease and the turf thins from peak season cart traffic.Aug 6, 2013

Shade

Winterkill preys on weak turf. In many instances, winterkill patterns mirror shade patterns on greens. Turfgrass growing in the shade is simply not as healthy as turfgrass growing in full sunlight. To compound the problem, trying to reestablish damaged greens in the shade results in longer recovery time than greens recovering in full sunlight.

Covers

Covers can be used for winter protection and reestablishment. Photo by Kevin Frank, MSU

Snow mold and covers

It is important to remember that greens covers act similar to snow cover when it comes to snow mold activity. The covers provide the same environmental conditions for the development of snow mold as the snow does.

Surface drainage

Help the melt by stripping sod to hasten surface drainage. Photo by Adam Garr

Cultural practices – let it grow!

Fall is prime time for cultural practices to improve turfgrass health. In addition to core aeration and fall fertilization, consideration should be given to raise mowing heights as fall progresses.

Why is firm approach important in golf?

Firm, smooth approaches are very important to the game of golf, given their role in players’ shots to and around the putting greens. Extra labor and maintenance inputs to improve approaches may be difficult to adopt if course finances don’t allow.

What happens when soil is wet?

When soils are wet, soil oxygen levels are reduced. The result is less microbial degradation of organic matter, which in turn leads to more thatch accumulation. MANAGEMENT. There are several management practices that should be used to improve firmness and thatch control on approaches.

Is Poa annua a perennial?

Poa annua(annual blue- grass) and perennial ryegrass are the other species common ly found in these areas , neither of which produces a great deal of thatch. However, Poa annuahas poor stress tolerance, and both species are highly susceptible to many diseases, compared to creeping bentgrass.

Who is John Torsiello?

John Torsiello is a writer from Torrington, Conn., and a frequent GCI contributor.

What does it mean to be humble?

Staying humble means not hogging all the glory, not taking credit that isn’t yours and remembering that you’re part of a team. Staying hungry is always wanting to improve not only yourself but your people, your course and your industry reputation. Don’t Complain.

What is an irrigation technician?

An irrigation technician is a great asset to not only the golf course, but also to the irrigation system. Having a staffer who is solely responsible for maintaining the irrigation system helps the system operate better, have fewer problems and most likely save water.

Who is the product manager of John Deere?

When it comes to reel grinding, Tracy Lanier, John Deere Golf product manager, says everyone has their own method that works best for them. But that doesn’t mean a program should be inflexible. “The most common problems that we see are on courses that use a grind-only program,” says Lanier.

What is the most frequently mowed area of golf courses?

Putting greens are the most frequently mowed area of golf courses and the associated costs are significant. Mower technology has improved to the point where triplex units can produce a quality of cut equivalent to that of walk-behind mowers.

How do trees affect golf courses?

Many golfers enjoy the presence of trees on a golf course, but trees also increase maintenance costs. Although the cost of planting a tree is a one-time expense that is easy to compute, few golf courses fully consider the long-term economic impact of trees. A tree may live for 100 years or more and a considerable amount of labor is required each year for trimming turf around tree trunks, removing debris, pruning branches and roots, controlling pests and ultimately removing a damaged or dead tree. Trees can also make it more difficult and expensive to maintain healthy and wear-tolerant turf, which affects golfer satisfaction in addition to the budget.

Is golf course maintenance competitive?

Golf course maintenance work is demanding and the labor market is very competitive. Recruiting and retaining reliable maintenance staff is currently one of the biggest challenges at golf facilities across the country. Additionally, there are many hidden costs associated with hiring and training new maintenance employees.

What is PGR in agriculture?

Many courses have adjusted fertility, pest control, wetting agent and plant growth regulator (PGR) programs in an effort to cut costs. However, overzealous reductions to these programs is a double-edged sword. For example, timely applications of wetting agents can reduce the need for labor-intensive hand watering.

What is the Aussie method?

The “Aussie method” of bunker raking also gained popularity. Courses that use this approach rake the floors of bunkers by hand or with a mechanical bunker rake. The bunker faces are then groomed by hand with the smooth side of a rake, a paint roller or a squeegee.

Why are roughs important?

Even though they usually are not maintained intensively, the mowing and equipment costs associated with roughs add up because of their large size. The cost of maintaining rough areas may be much higher in arid regions where rough requires irrigation and water costs are high. Out of necessity, many courses in the Southwest removed maintained rough in peripheral areas to cut down on water usage and save money.