physical analysis Tag

hand sanitizerThroughout the ongoing fight against COVID-19, I think it’s safe to say we have all now learned the importance of washing your hands and using hand sanitizer. It truly is the best way to avoid spreading germs. Even on the course! However, though hand sanitizer helps your golfers play safely and comfortably, what is less commonly known is that hand sanitizer is harmful to your golf course turfgrass.

golf course droughtWhen managing a golf course, it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected, especially when it comes to water. You never know when something like a pipe failure, a fire, or in most cases, lack of rainfall, will affect your course’s water supply. Since a golf course uses, on average, about 312,00 gallons of water per day, it’s best to create a water-management plan. In fact, it’s often required by the state for courses to have this. If you wait until a drought occurs, you’re too late. Your course will need to have reduced water use long before your area is actually in a drought.

beautiful fairwaysThough most golfers focus on getting to the green, most of their time is spent in the fairways. After all, fairways account for, on average, 29% of the overall property, while greens are only 3.2%. Therefore, it would make sense that creating fabulous fairways would be a focal point for golf course supers, ensuring the grass has uniformity, with smoothness and good density. How does one achieve that? Here are the four key ingredients.

golfing frustrationThere are plenty of frustrating moments on the golf course. For players, when a drive lands in a water hazard, a green is misread, or a heavy rainstorm hits in the middle of a great round can all send them over the edge. For golf course supers, when equipment breaks down right before a major tournament, a greens committee micromanages your work, or turf that just won’t cooperate are examples of the frustration we face every day. Like everything in life, some things are out of a manager’s control and it comes with the job. But other problems, like spring dead spot popping up, are manageable.

Fall golf course Golf Course Superintendents aim to create an amazing experience on the course, with lush greens, pristine sand traps, and healthy soil for better landscaping. But a common hurdle many supers face is working within their budget. Many managers have to look at what’s necessary and what’s not, which means cutting costs, like rescheduling aeration, skipping topdressing and scaling back landscaping. It’s hard to do more with less!

hitting in the bunker Sand bunkers are considered one of the most frustrating and feared hazards on the course. They exist to test a player’s ability and skill, but for golf course superintendents, they are usually just a headache. In fact, they are generally considered one of the more controversial golf course areas because everyone has an opinion on how it should be cared for, its architecture, and what type of sand should be in it, making it highly subjective and frustrating for those maintaining it.