why is the mower always in front of me on the golf course

by Kenneth Larkin MD 4 min read

Most golf courses do not have the staff or equipment to complete fairway or rough mowing ahead of play. Therefore, there is a high probability that you will see mowers on the golf course while you are playing. Make sure they see you. The mowers are loud and the operators often have ear protection on.

Full Answer

How do I choose the best mowers for my golf course?

Aug 07, 2020 · Know the facts. Most golf courses do not have the staff or equipment to complete fairway or rough mowing ahead of play. Therefore, there is a high probability that you will see mowers on the golf course while you are playing. Make sure they see you. The mowers are loud and the operators often have ear protection on.

What is the role of mowing on a golf course?

Aug 25, 2020 · Know the facts. Most golf courses do not have the staff or equipment to complete fairway or rough mowing ahead of play. Therefore, there is a high probability that you will see mowers on the golf course while you are playing. Make sure they see you. The mowers are loud and the operators often have ear protection on.

Why do some golf courses have more than one Greens mower?

We understand the importance of maintaining your golf course with quality because that’s how Lastec Mowers started more than 30 years ago. Lastec Mowers was founded by an innovative engineer who was faced with the problem of mowing his golf course with rolling terrain. At the time, there was nothing on the market that minimized investment, maintenance, and man …

Can you use the same mower on different areas of the course?

Oct 18, 2013 · Approach Mowers:These mowers may either be triplexes or walking units, depending on labor, area of the approaches, and golf course mainte- nance standards. Many have gone to walk mowing these areas to reduce the damage caused by turning triplexes in tight areas, such as between bunkers or near greens.

How do you mow the rough on a golf course?

The lower the height, the more often turf needs to be mown to avoid scalping. Maintaining a mowing height of 2 to 3 inches is common for most cool-season rough, and often requires mowing one or two times each week. To save costs, reduce the mowing frequency to once a week at the most.May 7, 2021

Why do golf courses use reel mowers?

A reel mower (also called a cylinder mower), cuts the grass by trapping the grass between the reel edge and the bed knife. This process cuts the grass similar to how scissors cut paper. They're much friendlier to the turf since the grass isn't injured as much during the mowing process.Feb 4, 2021

How do golf courses cut 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.

How often should fairways be mowed?

Sometimes it's impossible, and the entire putting surface has to be reseeded, and you're looking at least two months before they're ready for play again. Though fairways can be left to grow longer than greens, they still need mowing at least once a week, Moeller says.Apr 10, 2020

How do I make my lawn look like a golf course?

There are four main factors that go into giving your lawn that lush, golf-course look.Mow your lawn properly. Often, people take shortcuts when it comes to mowing their lawn. ... Apply the right fertilizer (at the right times). ... Use the right amount of water (and consider irrigation). ... Stop the weeds dead in their tracks.Apr 15, 2021

How often is grass cut on a golf course?

On average, greens are mowed at least five days per week, and in most cases six or seven days per week. Courses that choose to mow five or six days per week will take advantage of a closed Monday or Tuesday to skip mowing and focus more on agronomic programs like topdressing or aeration.

What kind of lawn mowers do they use on golf courses?

Rather than the more familiar rotary-style lawn mower, a specialized type of reel mower is required to cut turf at low, putting green heights. A reel mower creates a scissor-like action where turfgrass leaves are clipped by the crossing of two cutting edges—the reel blades and bedknife.Feb 3, 2016

Are golf courses real grass?

Professional golf courses make use of natural grass on the golf course. Golf courses with artificial turf are popular too as they require zero maintenance.Aug 18, 2014

How do golf courses keep their grass so green?

Deep roots help the grass stay strong, lush and green. Golf course turf receives adequate nutrients from regular fertilizing. Fertilizers typically contain a balance of potassium and nitrogen, which helps the grass stay strong, even when it's subjected to extreme temperature and heavy traffic.May 18, 2016

How are golf fairways maintained?

Frequently verti-cutting without overstressing the surface. Frequently dressing surfaces to maintain a smooth, freely draining surface. Regularly aerating to ensure the free draining of any surface water. ... Brushing the grass to ensure that the surface is aerated, free of debris and produces a cleaner cut during mowing.Sep 18, 2020

Why do golf courses cover the greens?

There are two main reasons for covering turf during the winter months: The first being to protect turf from cold, dry winter winds, which can desiccate turf, causing injury. The second reason is to prevent the formation of ice on the surface.Oct 28, 2013

How many mowers does a golf course have?

For a typical 18-hole golf course, you might see around 6-8 of these mowers in the equipment storage area. Advantages of using a walk mower instead of a riding mower include: better quality of cut, less weight, smaller mowing stripes, and a more accurate “clean up cut”.Aug 24, 2020

Selected with Care

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The end result of any mowing strategy will only be as good as the mowing equipment in a golf course’s maintenance fleet. Ralph Kepple, Certified Golf Course Superintendent at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, relies on machines that are easy to operate and easy to maintain. Although East Lake is “not overly hilly,” he says, t…
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Proper Mechanics

  • The selection of mowing equipment is not the only key to achieving a quality cut, however. The people who maintain and operate the machinery are vital to the process as well—and of these, no one is more critical than the mechanic. “He’s my key employee, and he would be the hardest to replace,” Patton says. “He can do things I can’t do.” Kepple agrees. “A great mechanic will take y…
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Extremes Are No Game

  • External conditions such as disease, drought and heat also affect golf course mowing practices. Many properties in various parts of the country struggled with a prolonged heat wave last summer, and maintenance crews had to adjust their mowing practices accordingly. “We live with the weather the same way a farmer lives with it,” explains Patton. Last year’s heat did not affect t…
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Added Inputs

  • At Forest Creek GC, the staff rolls greens after aerification to smooth out the turf, and the crew rolls or double-cuts greens in preparation for tournaments or other special events. However, notes Patton, the crew can double-cut greens faster than it can roll the greens, because the property has a fleet of 20 walking greens mowers but only two rollers for 36 holes. The property also uses gro…
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