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Key Takeaways

  • Many golf course maintenance practices inflict some amount of mechanical injury on the turf. If growth and recovery can’t keep up, damaged areas will develop and expand.
  • Mechanical injury often occurs in the same areas again and again.
  • Mechanical damage from maintenance is self-inflicted, but that is not the same as intentional. It’s usually a product of repetitive practices, bad timing or both.
  • Golf courses encompass large acreages with inherent variability in ground conditions that change daily due to weather and maintenance practices. Superintendents must be prepared to adjust their program to avoid mechanical injury.
  • Mechanical damage can be reduced with focused attention, employee training and efforts to correct underlying problems that make areas susceptible to damage in the first place.

     

Observing mechanical damage from maintenance activities anywhere on the golf course can be frustrating because it’s often preventable. The term mechanical damage applies to several different types of turfgrass damage and the ways that it can occur seem limitless at times. For the purposes of this article, mechanical damage is physical damage on a turfgrass area caused by maintenance activities, not golfer traffic. At its core, this type of damage is self-inflicted by the maintenance team. However, note that “self-inflicted” is not the same as intentional. Some degree of mechanical injury is imposed on every golf course daily because most routine maintenance practices are mechanical in nature.

The perception held by many is that mechanical damage is only caused by golfers not following cart rules on a given day. This is a topic of its own and will not be covered in this article. The reality is that golf course maintenance employees are also guilty of causing damage to the very grass that they are caring for. Most think of mechanical damage as something that only occurs under wet conditions, but it can happen during high and low temperatures, dry and wet conditions and even during ideal growing weather.

Mechanical damage negatively impacts the appearance and playability of affected areas on a golf course. Minor mechanical damage will heal on its own in due time, but today’s minor damage can also be an indicator that more significant problems are on the horizon. For more severe damage, costly repairs may be necessary. Even when repairs are complete, the area may need to be marked as ground under repair for days or weeks. Focused maintenance and additional resources will also be required to get the new grass ready to tolerate play and traffic. Perhaps most frustrating of all, areas of mechanical damage that get repaired often wind up damaged again if underlying problems are not addressed. The good news is that mechanical damage is often preventable with proper attention, training and education.

Why is mechanical damage a big problem on golf courses?

There are three primary reasons that mechanical damage occurs in my experience. First, golf courses encompass many acres with conditions that vary dramatically across the property. Second, on any given day, these conditions can change due to weather or maintenance practices. Third, the number of people that are unfamiliar with the negative impact that maintenance equipment can have on course conditions is high. This combination of factors makes the occurrence of some level of mechanical damage from maintenance activities likely on any golf course over the course of a growing season.

Common Types of Mechanical Damage

Traffic-related damage

Concentrated traffic is the most common cause of mechanical damage and maintenance equipment can be a big contributor. Maintenance workers taking the same shortcut across the turf rather than following a cart path is commonplace. The shortcut is usually a narrow area that is wide enough for one cart to fit through at a time, and everyone tries to squeeze through the same area. Grass gets worn away, soils become compacted and recovery is difficult. A similar issue can develop when the maintenance team parks in the same turf area day after day. You often see this problem around greens and tees. These areas often go unnoticed until a vocal golfer’s ball comes to rest in the damaged area before that important next shot. Another common area of traffic-related mechanical injury is the end of cart paths where every piece of maintenance equipment and all golf carts traverse the same area.

Mechanical damage on and around fine turf areas from mowers turning is another form of injury related to concentrated traffic. Collars around putting greens and intermediate rough around fairways are especially prone to this type of injury when quick turns are made during putting green or fairway mowing. This is especially problematic where different mowers converge on the same small areas or when architectural features provide limited room to turn. Damage in the collars from greens mowers turning and the repetitive mowing pattern of the collars themselves is one of the most familiar types of mechanical injury and superintendents often need to use a range of strategies to address the problem.

Damage from traffic doesn’t only happen when the course is wet, it can occur under dry conditions or when the turf is under any type of stress. A piece of equipment running through a drought-stressed area can cause damage in the form of visible tracks. Maintenance workers driving or walking on frosted turf can also cause long-term loss of quality. Many may not think of frost injury as mechanical damage, but it quite certainly is. It is also a good example of avoidable damage.

Weather-induced damage

The risk of mechanical damage during wet conditions is a given. After a rain event, areas with poor drainage may be soft and prone to rutting by carts and equipment. Another common problem under wet conditions is scalping during mowing. If conditions are soft, cutting units sink into the ground lowering the effective height of cut. With cutting heights measured in tenths of an inch or less, a small change can lead to scalping. Where collar dams prevent the free flow of surface water from putting greens, scalping commonly occurs. Damaged areas ultimately increase in size and severity over time if the problem is not corrected.

Besides rain, irrigation can cause wet conditions. An irrigation head that fails to shut off, stops rotating, has a bad nozzle or a leak can be especially problematic. Areas that simply get overwatered during the normal schedule are also vulnerable to damage. The soft ground is often unexpected and not noticed until a mower or utility vehicle drives through and causes damage. One accidental pass through a wet area is unfortunate, but it can be very frustrating when you see multiple passes from mowers or maintenance vehicles through the same wet area.

Getting stuck in a routine

In many cases, mechanical damage is simply a product of the routine nature of golf course maintenance. The same areas are getting the same practices, in the same order, over and over again throughout the year. For a variety of reasons, certain parts of the course don’t hold up as well as others and begin to fail under the constant pressure. If the maintenance team doesn’t recognize these problems and adjust accordingly, mechanical injury is a likely outcome. Not all areas can handle or require the same amount of mowing, traffic or cultural practices. Just because you typically mow collars three times per week doesn’t mean you have to mow every collar regardless of growing environment or turf health. Establishing a good routine is important for efficiency, but that helpful routine can also be a root cause for mechanical damage if superintendents aren’t ready to adjust.

Mechanical Damage Prevention

Eliminating mechanical damage entirely is not realistic. The variety of areas on golf courses and the constantly changing environmental conditions provide limitless opportunities for damage to be inflicted at any time. Minimizing mechanical damage over time is a more attainable goal. In some instances, a simple solution to a problem area is not available; but in many cases, there are things superintendents can do to mitigate damage or prevent it.

Careful observation to identify areas where damage may occur and under what conditions is the first step. Once areas that are more susceptible to mechanical damage are identified, options to prevent damage from happening in the first place can be considered. Start with situations that are easily mitigated and methodically work through to identify and correct problems in areas where damage is likely to occur.

Traffic management

Traffic management is the most important strategy to limit mechanical damage. When rain or irrigation creates soft conditions, golf carts are usually restricted to paths or not allowed on the course at all. Maintenance carts can also cause damage and should adhere to those same traffic restrictions unless a specific task requires them to operate in a sensitive area. Keep in mind that maintenance employee adherence to golf cart restrictions also encourages golfers to follow the rules. Golfers can become frustrated seeing maintenance employees driving through the fairways and rough while their cart use is restricted, which sometimes leads to cart restrictions being ignored. When the maintenance team follows the same rules it sets a good example for golfers and limits the damage done by maintenance vehicles.

The clutter of rope and stakes is viewed as an eyesore that detracts from the clean look of a golf course. However, where isolated problems exist, ropes and stakes may be necessary to prevent damage. Directional signs are not enough to protect something like a recently sodded area that is being irrigated often. One person ignoring or not seeing the sign can undo the repair completely. Ropes and stakes may not be attractive, but they are effective. Remember that traffic management aids should be moved often because they can create areas of concentrated traffic if left in the same place for too long.

Changes to alleviate damage from traffic patterns are not always possible. In these cases, prescriptive maintenance may be necessary. Practices such as additional aeration to reduce compaction and additional nutrient applications to promote turf growth and recovery can improve turfgrass conditions in high-traffic areas. Periodic sodding may also be part of the equation.

Reduce or suspend maintenance when necessary

Under conditions where mechanical damage is likely, maintenance programs should be reduced or suspended to prevent damage. For example, after heavy rain there may be self-imposed pressure to mow fine turf areas to meet golfer expectations. However, mowing turf on saturated soils may cause scalping and other damage. Initially, mowing saturated areas may not seem to be problematic, but a day or two later damage is evident and you will be asking yourself why you took an unnecessary risk. Skipping mowing for a day may prevent damage to the turf. It may even be necessary to temporarily increase mowing height to prevent scalping if the grass cannot be mown for a prolonged period due to weather. Proactive communication to golfers and course officials to set expectations when the forecast indicates there may be reasons to limit maintenance can be beneficial. Do not inflict damage on the course through maintenance when the conditions are too risky. Remember that playing defense is a strength, not a weakness.

Just because soils are dry does not mean mechanical damage cannot occur or that maintenance activities should not be reduced. Too often, fairways and other large turf acreages are mowed on a defined schedule, such as four days per week, when the grass may only really need to be mown once or twice due to slower growth. Reducing maintenance frequency may improve turfgrass quality and allow resources to be allocated to other tasks. It also limits mechanical damage associated with repetitive mowing patterns. It doesn’t take bad weather to create the type of damage we see around putting green collars or fairway cleanup passes, it’s just the constant mowing in the same areas. If you can eliminate unnecessary mowing, you can take some of that pressure off.

One of the most difficult maintenance practices to alter under marginal growing conditions is aeration. The disruption this practice causes to playing surfaces usually means that it must be scheduled for a specific date on the golf calendar. However, if conditions are too hot or too wet, severe damage can occur on fine turf areas that will require prolonged recovery. What should be a beneficial program becomes detrimental. If weather conditions create doubt about turf safety, switching to a less-aggressive form of aeration or deferring aeration and topdressing altogether is prudent. The decision to skip or scale back aeration can be hard for turf managers to accept, but I’ve seen plenty of golf courses that moved forward with aeration and topdressing at the wrong time and ended up with serious mechanical damage as a result.

Identify deeper issues

Traffic management and skipping maintenance practices are effective strategies for limiting mechanical injury or giving an area time to recover, but these may be superficial solutions to a deeper problem. When we look at areas of mechanical damage, it’s important to ask why is there a problem in the first place, and is a more permanent solution available? Is there a drainage issue that can be addressed for long-term improvement? Do architectural features or tree plantings force maintenance traffic to be concentrated in a small area? Does a cart path impound water, creating an opportunity for damage? Is there a collar dam on a putting green that can be eliminated? Are tree roots or shade weakening turf in a high-traffic area, making it vulnerable to damage? Identifying the reasons why areas are prone to mechanical injury allows you to plan long-term solutions to limit future issues.

Raise awareness

Education and training are important to prevent mechanical damage from occurring. Many maintenance employees have a limited golf course background when they begin their employment and do not realize where the greatest potential for damaging the course exists. Varying turning points of mowers to reduce damage around fine turf areas is critical. Utilizing turning boards around greens can help to protect collars. Teach employees when and where traffic damage is likely, do not assume that they know. As they gain more experience, they will learn to recognize sensitive areas on their own.

Encourage employees to report areas of damage when they occur. Recognizing a potential problem area or seeing an area of damage is not enough. Making a manager aware of damage is important so that it can be repaired and avoided in the future. You should also plan for continual reminders about the risk of mechanical damage. Even if employees know about a potential problem, it’s easy for them to fall into a routine that inadvertently causes issues. Quick conversations throughout the year can save your team a lot of self-inflicted pain.

Conclusion

On the vast acreage of a golf course, there is too much variation to eliminate mechanical damage completely, but there are opportunities to reduce its likelihood and severity. Being flexible is the most important aspect of avoiding damage. Flexibility with necessary traffic management, daily maintenance and with cultural programs such as aeration can prevent self-inflicted damage. Train maintenance employees to understand that they can be a source of damage and that they are also a big part of preventing it. Environmental conditions should help to determine the timing and intensity of maintenance practices. Relying on the calendar or predetermined intervals alone to make maintenance decisions will ultimately lead to problems.