Dry-mowing fairways certainly has its benefits. Less cleanup is required and the quality of cut is often better than mowing when dew is present. However, difficulty seeing the previous pass during dry conditions can often lead to equipment operators skipping narrow strips of turf or overlapping excessively.
At SentryWorld, host of the 2023 U.S. Senior Open, foamers typically used on sprayers have been installed on fairway mowers so equipment operators can easily identify where the previous pass was made when fairways are being mowed without dew. From a daily maintenance perspective, using a foamer would be beneficial at golf courses where fairway mowing is completed during play and equipment operators often have to move out of the way to allow golfers to play through – potentially losing their line. Courses in dry or windy climates may also have many mornings where dew isn’t present, making fairway mowing a challenge.
Golf course superintendents and equipment managers are resourceful, and using a foamer to mark fairway mowing passes is just one example of the turf tips USGA agronomists observe while conducting Course Consulting Service visits or working USGA championships. For more tips like this, reach out to your regional agronomist.
Central Region Agronomists:
Zach Nicoludis, regional director – znicoludis@usga.org
Paul Jacobs, agronomist – pjacobs@usga.org