Ava Romero
Mowing golf greens is a precise task that requires training and experience. It involves the use of specialized equipment and techniques to achieve the desired grass height and smoothness. Golf course superintendents experiment with different mowing techniques and programs to create smooth and fast greens while preserving the health of the turf. The mowing height can vary depending on several factors, including the type of grass, the number of golfers on the green, environmental conditions, and the preferred speed of the greens. Maintaining golf greens also includes regular watering, fertilizing, aerating, and the use of fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mowing technique | Clean-up lap, mowing sideways, wall/mow, reel mowers, rotary mowers |
| Mowing frequency | Every day |
| Mowing height | 1/8 of an inch or lower, raised slightly in summer |
| Grass type | Bermuda grass, bentgrass |
| Number of golfers | Affects mowing height |
| Environmental factors | Affects mowing height |
| Green speed | Affects mowing height |
| Maintenance | Watering, fertilizing, aerating, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides |
| Challenges | Cost, equipment maintenance, golfer demands, turf loss, turf injury |
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What You'll Learn
The importance of the first stripe
Mowing a golf green is a highly specialised task that requires training and experience. It is not as simple as mowing a lawn, and the process requires a great deal of precision.
The first stripe is considered the key to mowing a nice green. This is the first pass with the mower, which sets the tone for the rest of the mowing process. Getting this first stripe right is important because it helps to ensure that the rest of the mowing is even. If the first stripe is uneven, it can cause the rest of the mowing to be uneven, which can negatively impact the golfers' experience.
There are a few different approaches to achieving this first stripe. Some sources suggest starting with a pass around the edge of the green, then starting at the low side of the green and working across, finishing with a final pass around the edge. This method helps to prevent turn marks from becoming entrenched in the green surface. Others suggest starting closer to one edge, depending on the direction of the green, to prevent mowing in a banana shape.
The right equipment is also crucial to achieving a good first stripe. A specialised reel mower is required to cut the grass to the very low heights needed for a golf green, usually at or below one-eighth of an inch. These mowers use a scissor-like action, with two cutting edges—the reel blades and bedknife—to achieve a precise cut. The mower's blades must be kept razor-sharp, and the height of the cut must be accurate to the thousandth of an inch.
In addition to the mower, accurate gauges are vital to setting up the cutting unit correctly and achieving consistent results. Dial calipers and dial indicators are used to ensure that the rollers are true and that the mowing height is accurate.
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The right mower for the job
Mowing a golf green is a highly specialised task that requires training and experience. It is not a job for just anyone with a lawnmower. The right mower for the job will be a reel mower, which achieves a scissor-like action by using two cutting edges: the reel blades and the bedknife. This is in contrast to a standard lawn mower, which is a rotary mower that uses a single blade to chop the grass.
Reel mowers are much more expensive than rotary mowers, with prices starting at $9,000 for a walk-behind reel mower. Used reel mowers can be purchased at a discount, but they often require costly replacement parts such as new bearings, bedknives, or reel cylinders. Reel mowers also require specialised grinding equipment to maintain sharp edges and precise angles, and they have multiple blades that need to be sharpened—up to 15 blades, plus a bedknife.
The right mower will also depend on the type of grass, the number of golfers on the green, the climate, and the preferred speed of the greens. For example, Bermuda grass and bentgrass varieties can be mowed as low as 1/8 of an inch, but it is not recommended to mow Bermuda grass lower than 5/32 of an inch. These heights may also need to be raised in the summer due to extreme heat.
The technique used by the operator is also important. For example, it is recommended to start with a pass around the edge of the green, then start on the low side and work across the entire green, finishing with a final pass around the edge. This helps to prevent turn marks from becoming entrenched in the green surface.
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Grass type and mowing height
The grass type and mowing height are crucial factors in maintaining golf greens. The grass variety must be suitable for the climate, and the mowing height will depend on the type of grass, the number of golfers using the green, environmental conditions, and the desired speed of the greens.
Different grass varieties have different mowing height requirements. Most Bermuda grass and bentgrass varieties, for instance, can be mowed as low as 1/8 of an inch (0.125 inches), although it is recommended not to mow Bermuda grass lower than 5/32 of an inch. These mowing heights may need to be adjusted slightly during the summer due to extreme heat, which can stress the grass.
To achieve the desired mowing height, golf course superintendents typically use a combination of mowing and rolling practices. While mowing cuts the grass, rolling helps to create a smooth surface and improve green speed. However, rolling can also cause soil compaction and decline in turf health if overdone or if heavy rollers are used. Therefore, lightweight rolling is now recommended.
Specialised equipment is required to mow golf greens effectively. Reel mowers, which create a scissor-like cutting action, are necessary to achieve the low mowing heights required for golf greens. In contrast, rotary mowers cannot cut grass effectively below a 1-inch height. Reel mowers are more expensive to purchase and maintain than rotary mowers, and they require frequent sharpening of multiple blades.
Maintaining golf greens at the desired mowing height is a precise and challenging task. Minor differences in mowing height can impact the quality of putting. Therefore, accurate gauges and measurements are essential before each mowing session. Additionally, the grass must be healthy and actively growing to withstand the stress of mowing and rolling.
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Maintenance and mowing frequency
Specialist technicians are required to grind the blades to razor sharpness several times a year. The mowing height depends on the type of grass, the number of golfers on the green each week, the climate, the preferred speed of the greens, and changing environmental situations. Most Bermuda grass and bentgrass varieties can be mowed as low as 1/8 of an inch, but it is preferable not to mow Bermuda grass lower than 5/32 of an inch. These heights should be raised slightly in the summer due to the extreme heat.
The greens must be mowed every day with a special mower. The first stripe is the most important to achieving a good finish. The clean-up lap should be done last.
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The role of the greenskeeper
Firstly, the greenskeeper must select the right grass seed, taking into account the climate and the desired speed of the green. The green must then be fertilised and watered constantly, and treated with fungicides, pesticides and herbicides to keep it healthy.
Once the green has flourished, it must be mowed every day with a special reel mower. These mowers are very different from a standard lawn mower, creating a scissor-like action with two cutting edges, the reel blades and bedknife. The greenskeeper must ensure the blades are razor-sharp and set to the correct height, which can be as low as 1/8 of an inch. The mowing pattern is also important, with the first stripe being key to achieving a perfect finish.
Over the years, golfers have demanded faster and faster greens, which has put a lot of pressure on greenskeepers. They must balance the desire for speed with the health of the turf, as frequent mowing and rolling can lead to turf loss. The greenskeeper must be able to make subtle adjustments to their practices depending on the time of year, the number of golfers using the green, and any environmental factors that may affect the grass.
Overall, the role of the greenskeeper is a highly skilled one, requiring a deep understanding of grass maintenance and the ability to operate precision machinery.
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Frequently asked questions
A reel mower is used to cut golf greens. This is different from a standard lawn mower, which is a rotary mower. Reel mowers cut at fractions of an inch and can be adjusted to cut at different heights.
Golf greens need to be mowed every day. However, mowing injures the grass, so if the grass is experiencing stress, such as high temperatures or pest infestation, mowing practices need to be adjusted and scaled back until the grass recovers.
Dial calipers and dial indicators are used to ensure the rollers of the cutting unit are true and that mowing heights are accurate to the thousandth of an inch.
