Stuff You Never Knew were being done on Golf Courses

[GolfTravelDude]

So I recently have played some mighty fine golf courses. I had a chat with the member of one of these. We'll just say it is one of the top 10 in the US. He pointed out a few special situations around this golf course which assist in the maintenance and immaculate conditioning of this golf course.
1] They took a hill that was a couple acres and removed it. They then built a concrete container for a very substantial water holding pond. And then of course they put the hill back on top of this. Thus this water is pure and used only for watering the golf course.
2] They implanted a heating and cooling system underneath every green on the course. This allows for no need to cover the greens during cold weather and no need for excessive watering during very hot conditions.
3] They input soil measuring censors at key locations throughout the course for automatic watering when conditions are dry.

 

[Muchmore]

Definitely never knew exactly what top courses do to keep their course prime but none of it would surprise me. Cool to know a few of the things!

 

[gkeller813]

So I recently have played some mighty fine golf courses. I had a chat with the member of one of these. We'll just say it is one of the top 10 in the US. He pointed out a few special situations around this golf course which assist in the maintenance and immaculate conditioning of this golf course.
1] They took a hill that was a couple acres and removed it. They then built a concrete container for a very substantial water holding pond. And then of course they put the hill back on top of this. Thus this water is pure and used only for watering the golf course.
2] They implanted a heating and cooling system underneath every green on the course. This allows for no need to cover the greens during cold weather and no need for excessive watering during very hot conditions.
3] They input soil measuring censors at key locations throughout the course for automatic watering when conditions are dry.

I've read about #3 being implemented. Makes sense, and I wonder if they could even do soil tests that way to see when they are deficient in different soil elements to know when to add them.

 

[GolfTravelDude]

I've read about #3 being implemented. Makes sense, and I wonder if they could even do soil tests that way to see when they are deficient in different soil elements to know when to add them.

I'm of the mind frame that if you can think of it......it can be done....but by greater minds than mine.

 

[HITitHIGH]

I work on a golf course, where do you want me to start? The average golfer doesn't have a clue of what it takes to keep a course in good playing condition. It takes a lot of money to have a course that is in decent shape let alone great shape.

 

[camden_kid]

I work on a golf course, where do you want me to start? The average golfer doesn't have a clue of what it takes to keep a course in good playing condition. It takes a lot of money to have a course that is in decent shape let alone great shape.

Cool. Tell us one thing that will blow our minds.

 

[HITitHIGH]

Cool. Tell us one thing that will blow our minds.

We are on a tight budget so we get around $50,000 a year for chemical application. On a prime course that is good for about a month.

 

[Follow The Sun]

So I recently have played some mighty fine golf courses. I had a chat with the member of one of these. We'll just say it is one of the top 10 in the US. He pointed out a few special situations around this golf course which assist in the maintenance and immaculate conditioning of this golf course.
1] They took a hill that was a couple acres and removed it. They then built a concrete container for a very substantial water holding pond. And then of course they put the hill back on top of this. Thus this water is pure and used only for watering the golf course.
2] They implanted a heating and cooling system underneath every green on the course. This allows for no need to cover the greens during cold weather and no need for excessive watering during very hot conditions.
3] They input soil measuring censors at key locations throughout the course for automatic watering when conditions are dry.

I'd bet most true public courses don't have the money to implement what is being done at the above which is good thing.

Good Golfing ...

 

[GolfTravelDude]

I'd bet most true public courses don't have the money to implement what is being done at the above which is good thing.

Good Golfing ...

The cost of the items shown are prohibitive except for the absolute most elite places where $ is no object.

 

[Greg Kulbick]

The cost of the items shown are prohibitive except for the absolute most elite places where $ is no object.

I can't remember the name of it, but I play with a guy on occasion who was a pro who had worked at a couple different Palmer courses and one of the courses he was at was an uber exclusive club near Naples. I think he said the place only had like 60 members. Two of which were Arnold Palmer and Dave Thomas of Wendy's, and they apparently hated each other. He recalled a lunch they were yelling at each other and Dave Thomas said to name his price, and he'd buy out Arnold Palmer's membership so he'd never have to see him there again.

I only tell that story to tell this one, it was the kind of club that whenever they wanted to do something, they just did it and split the bill equally among the membership, and that was what they owed.

 

[Scorp]

I listened to the greenskeeper podcast and one of the greenskeepers they had on mentioned automatic mowers... I thought that was kind of cool. Being able to mow when the course isn't in use... at night.

 

[ttucliffhanger]

Working maintenance at one of the top public courses in the state back when I first turned 16, I had heard of things like #1, but definitely not #2 and #3. I can see #3, but #2 is just fricking cool!

 

[GolfTravelDude]

I only tell that story to tell this one, it was the kind of club that whenever they wanted to do something, they just did it and split the bill equally among the membership, and that was what they owed.

There are many clubs that if you ask about $....You'll never belong. A bill is sent. You pay it. Otherwise, good bye.

 

[GolfTravelDude]

I listened to the greenskeeper podcast and one of the greenskeepers they had on mentioned automatic mowers... I thought that was kind of cool. Being able to mow when the course isn't in use... at night.

There are a number of clubs which do all of their work in the evening so the crews don't bother the players......However, recently at another top 10 I was at while I was on the course there were over 100 people working on it. I was dumbfounded by the volume of workers. They didn't intrude and were exceptionally observant of the players, yet they were everywhere.

 

[DataDude]

I listened to the greenskeeper podcast and one of the greenskeepers they had on mentioned automatic mowers... I thought that was kind of cool. Being able to mow when the course isn't in use... at night.

So kind of like a Roomba for grass cutting? That's ingenious. It's probably better for grass to cut it when it's not scorching hot outside too although that is just a theory I came up with. Not sure if it's true or not.

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

We played Spyglass Hill in the late 90's, the year the tournament got rained out! We were there 2-3 weeks later. There were 8-10 workers on every single hole! I finally asked one guy what was going on. He said they were looking for drain tile, because those folks don't like it when their tournament gets rained out! He said he knew why the drain tiles were clogged. When they installed a new watering system, they just ran trenchers up either side of the fairway, cut all the tiles, and they filled with soil and clogged up!

I guess even places like that can goof up.

 

[MWard]

I can't remember the name of it, but I play with a guy on occasion who was a pro who had worked at a couple different Palmer courses and one of the courses he was at was an uber exclusive club near Naples. I think he said the place only had like 60 members. Two of which were Arnold Palmer and Dave Thomas of Wendy's, and they apparently hated each other. He recalled a lunch they were yelling at each other and Dave Thomas said to name his price, and he'd buy out Arnold Palmer's membership so he'd never have to see him there again.

I only tell that story to tell this one, it was the kind of club that whenever they wanted to do something, they just did it and split the bill equally among the membership, and that was what they owed.

The Naples one I wonder if it is Quail West?

Edit: or old collier

 

[Greg Kulbick]

The Naples one I wonder if it is Quail West?

Edit: or old collier

I have no clue, I'll have to ask next time I see him.

 

[rollin]

I understand of course this is a golf forum. But just to note its interesting that its not just golf courses of which there is always very much behind the scenes most folks are not aware of. When we are ignorant to the inner workings of things we so often never realize nor even think about what really exists in order to make that something exist or function.
Infrastructure is so often overlooked and its no ones fault but simply that we re often ignorant to it and take things for granted that we simply do not know of. We all enjoy or exist within whatever only the finished products , or entities, or functions are that we set out to partake in or live our daily lives in without ever beginning to actually know what and why and how we are able to do so. I bring this up cause I work in a field that is considered infrastructure and its incredible the amount of "behind the scenes, or infrastructure" that there actually is that make most anything we do possible. Running and operating THP (for example) would be just one small such example I would bet most us dont realize what goes truly into it. .

Sometimes this subject can be fascinating. But when one has little to know idea or understanding of it, its hard to suggest to that person that its fascinating because there is no interest along with the honest ignorance and many wouldnt quite grasp the things mentioned anyway. Sorry for the sidetrack a bit away from golf itself but I thought it all worth mentioning there is often a world worth of stuff behind the scenes in most everything. Realizing such things can make one appreciate the things we have and do a bit more imo.

 

[-CRW-]

I don’t know if it’s all throughout the course, but part of the Memorial Park redesign for the Houston Open includes what looks like French drains under some of the fairways on the course. They are using it to capture rain water to use for irrigation. They are also using moisture meters in the soil to help with how much a given area is watered.

Memorial Park Golf Course Focuses on Stormwater Ahead of 2020 Houston Open - Stormwater Report

Despite the event’s name, the annual Houston Open professional golf tournament has not been held within Houston city limits since 1972. That will change in October 2020, when the tournament returns to the 243-ha (600-ac) Memorial Park Golf Course located in downtown Houston. To prepare for the...

stormwater.wef.org

TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, TX must have something similar. I played an event there once that was delayed due to a torrential downpour. An hour or so after the rain stopped the course was shockingly dry. I’ve never experienced anything like it.

 

[Annhl8rX]

When I read the title I was expecting something completely different. I once interviewed a candidate for a security sensitive job. One of the questions on the application was about any criminal activity they had engaged in, whether or not they got caught. The only answer this candidate provided was that she once had sex on the green at a golf course. That's certainly something I never knew was being done on golf courses.

 

[5150]

I understand of course this is a golf forum. But just to note its interesting that its not just golf courses of which there is always very much behind the scenes most folks are not aware of. When we are ignorant to the inner workings of things we so often never realize nor even think about what really exists in order to make that something exist or function.

Infrastructure is so often overlookedV

Very well said and I agree 100%.

I have spent nearly 25 years now in and around complex IT systems in real estate, banking/finance and healthcare, and the “plumbing” so to speak is way more involved than most of us recognize.

I’ve also been surprised over the years at how much figurative duct tape and twine hold some of those complex systems together. I don’t have a ton of experience in physical hardware systems like a power plant or things like that where it MUST be right, or people die, but I feel like there is a higher tolerance for hacks and bandaids in IT work than there is in a physical system.

To the OP - I’m playing two fantastic private courses up in Flagstaff this week and I’m sure there’s way more maintenance going on here than meets the eye.

IMO, while it makes for a great golf experience, I worry that it’s not sustainable from an environmental perspective and creates false expectations of what a course can/should look like. There’s a reason the first golf courses were on sandy links land that dries out easily on its own…

 

[GolfTravelDude]

When I read the title I was expecting something completely different. I once interviewed a candidate for a security sensitive job. One of the questions on the application was about any criminal activity they had engaged in, whether or not they got caught. The only answer this candidate provided was that she once had sex on the green at a golf course. That's certainly something I never knew was being done on golf courses.

We see what you expected...Ha...Actually I don't see the criminal activity of sex on a green....Unless she was with the married Pro.

 

[RayG]

# 3 is probably the easiest for many courses to implement depending on current Irrigation system. #1 is ANGC level of "Maintenance". #2 as well- BUT- there are many Tournament courses that have gone the way of USGA 'guidelines' for construction, as well as adding powered drying systems that may or may not have heating and cooling abilities. Most of us wind up playing courses whose "Green Protection" methods involve a few large fans blowing onto the surface to keep them Dry-ish. Especially if they are located in shaded or sheltered spots of the course. These can help stifle mold and fungus growth as well.

 

[HITitHIGH]

When I read the title I was expecting something completely different. I once interviewed a candidate for a security sensitive job. One of the questions on the application was about any criminal activity they had engaged in, whether or not they got caught. The only answer this candidate provided was that she once had sex on the green at a golf course. That's certainly something I never knew was being done on golf courses.

It was a frequent thing in the 80's at local courses in my area.