Sunday, November 20, 2016

Basics About Golf Course Irrigation

By Joshua Brown


Part of the job of designing golf courses is to install irrigation systems that will supply water to ensure that the grass grows healthy. Without proper golf course irrigation, grass will be starved and make the landscape unsuitable for golfing. This article will present some basic information on the process of irrigating courses and the various options available to pick from.

The methods used to irrigate courses can be placed into three main categories, that is, in-ground, sub-surface, and surface irrigation. The prevalence and preference of the method used depends on the nature of the landscape and circumstances. However, surface and sub-surface irrigation are more common. In surface irrigating method, the entire infrastructure goes over the ground. Sprinkler systems are perfect examples of surface irrigating systems.

Sub-surface irrigating is more common in comparison to surface irrigating because it offers certain advantages. In sub-surface irrigating, all the components and equipment used to supply water are placed in the ground where they cannot be seen. This way, they stay away from view, which helps to promote the beauty of the landscape. Having pipes running around in the course creates an unsightly view.

Safety is much higher on landscapes where irrigating systems are located underground. Players are able to see the courses with increased clarity because there is nothing to obstruct their view. Accidents resulting from irrigating components are eliminated too. Obstruction caused by water systems is not an issue in this case because they are underground. Movement of the ball is not obstructed by water systems too.

Sub-surface irrigating systems have their infrastructure located beneath the ground surface, but water supply is done over the ground. For example, sprinklers are usually located beneath the ground surface when they are not in use. When the sprinklers are needed to water the ground, they protrude from the ground to supply water. They automatically return into the ground when watering is complete. There are also some systems that supply water underground without protruding up.

Whereas underground systems are advantageous because they provide a clear view of the field, with no obstacles and obstructions, it is also associated with certain disadvantages. The first and the major disadvantage is that it is usually very problematic to repair and maintain the system. Accessing the irrigating system and components to repair and maintain them is problematic because they are located underground.

The only solution involves digging up the course so as to access the system to perform repairs. Once the repair are done, the lawn has to be reinstalled into its former state. This can be a very expensive and time-consuming affair. It may also be impossible to hold games on the course while it is still under repair and maintenance.

Finally, if close monitoring is not provided, it can be hard to detect issues in the system. Part of the solution provided to this problem is subdividing the infrastructure into different zones. These zones make management and monitoring of the infrastructure easier. They also help with maintaining high pressure in the water supplied.




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