Water management plays a critical role in balancing turf health and playability during any golf season, and without timely rainfall the shortcomings of an irrigation system quickly become apparent. Many superintendents are working with an irrigation system that is well beyond its expected life cycle, which makes it even more challenging to deliver water where it is needed. But if you notice moisture stress in areas that should have decent coverage, further inspection is needed.
The obvious place to start is making sure each sprinkler is operating correctly in the stressed area. It is easy to get caught up in all the other tasks that need to be completed and miss a sprinkler that is not turning on or rotating properly. Having an experienced member of the team routinely go through and check the functionality of each sprinkler is always a good item to have on the to-do list.
Something that is not frequently discussed is replacing sprinkler nozzles. This should be done every five to eight years, but let’s be honest – it rarely happens. If moisture stress occurs in an area that has good coverage and the sprinklers are rotating properly, replacing the nozzles is worth exploring as a way to improve how water is delivered to the area.
Leveling sprinklers is another effective way to improve irrigation coverage, and priority should be placed on areas where moisture stress is an issue. Along with improving coverage, leveling sprinklers to improve their performance can reduce the need to hand water. This is the type of project that is typically performed during the shoulder seasons and winter, provided the ground is not frozen. If you have a lot of heads to raise and level, hiring an irrigation contractor to do the work is an option, so more sprinklers can be addressed in a shorter time.
Less-stressful weather will be here before we know it, providing opportunities to address irrigation issues that revealed themselves during summer. For help improving water management or addressing any other challenges you’ve encountered this summer, reach out to your regional USGA agronomist.
Central Region Agronomists:
Zach Nicoludis, regional director, Central Region – znicoludis@usga.org
Tom Gould, agronomist – tgould@usga.org
Steve Wilson, agronomist - swilson@usga.org