How does golf course drainage work?
There are two basic ways an architect can get water to go where it needs to go: with the slopes of the land, or through manmade drainage systems. In a perfect world, golf courses would use only surface drainage, in which the land moves water off the playing surfaces and into streams and other basins.
Do golf courses use well for water?
In California, an average 18-hole golf course sprawls over 110 to 115 acres and conservatively uses almost 90 million gallons of water per year, enough to fill 136 Olympic-size swimming pools, said Mike Huck, a water management consultant who works with golf courses statewide.
Where does golf course water come from?
Golf courses use a variety of water sources for turfgrass irrigation including groundwater, surface water (lakes, rivers and reservoirs), recycled water, and municipal potable water supplies.
How deep is the water on a golf course?
Many golf facilities have drilled wells on property to access irrigation water. The location or depth of the water varies tremendously in different parts of the country. Well depths to ground water can be as shallow as 20 to 50 feet or as deep as 1,500 to 2,500 feet (Beard, 2002).
What percentage of water is used for golf courses?
Golf, he said, consumes less than 1% of all water used in California, but nearly 25% of Coachella Valley water.
Do golf courses use recycled water?
Nationwide, approximately 13% of golf courses use recycled water for irrigation. More facilities would gladly convert to using recycled water, but the main limitation is the lack of a piping system to deliver the recycled water to golf courses, which can cost $1 million per mile or more to install.
Why are golf courses bad for the environment?
Environmentalists argue that golf course land is not only a waste of space, but also harbors harmful impacts to the earth and environment, such as pesticide use. This negative impact occurs by using large quantities of water and destroying habitats for wildlife species.
How many gallons of water does a golf course use a day?
Courses around the U.S. suck up around approximately 2.08 billion gallons of water per day for irrigation. That's about 130,000 gallons per day per course, according to the golf industry.
How many gallons a day does a golf course use?
Audubon International estimates that the average American course uses 312,000 gallons per day. In a place like Palm Springs, where 57 golf courses challenge the desert, each course eats up a million gallons a day.
Why do they put ponds on golf courses?
Many golf courses use their ponds as water retention devices that the irrigation system pulls from nightly. If it weren't for the ponds, the water bill of a single golf course could easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of 12 short months.
Why do golf courses have sand traps?
Sand bunkers provide a psychological landmark. They accentuate the hole and provide targets for directing the golfer to a defined landing area whether it is the fairway or green. Sand bunkers provide safety buffers for adjacent fairways, tees or greens, both physically and visually.
Do you get relief from a puddle in golf?
You take free relief by finding the nearest point of complete relief where you are clear of the puddle and then drop your original ball or another ball away from the puddle and within one club-length of that point not nearer the hole (see Rule 16.1b).
Do golf courses waste a lot of water?
(Inside Science) -- In California's current historic drought, there's one particularly easy target when it comes to pointing fingers: green golf courses. Courses around the U.S. suck up around approximately 2.08 billion gallons of water per day for irrigation.
Why do they put ponds on golf courses?
Many golf courses use their ponds as water retention devices that the irrigation system pulls from nightly. If it weren't for the ponds, the water bill of a single golf course could easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of 12 short months.
Why do golf courses have water?
No matter where they are located, most golf course designs incorporate water features. When used well, water features influence golf strategy, provide for irrigation reservoirs, drainage containment and flood detention areas, while providing aesthetic value.
Why do golf courses need water?
Water use has a major influence on the playability of a golf course. Judicious water use that emphasizes firm, fast conditions is more enjoyable for all skill levels of golfers and is a goal that the USGA strongly supports.
What is drainage in golf?
Drainage is a fundamental piece of golf course architecture. If a course doesn’t drain well it will rarely play well. Therefore, figuring out how to move water off the golf course is a golf course architect’s primary worry. There are two ways that an architect can move water; the natural land or through manmade drainage systems.
Why is surface drainage important?
The benefit of using surface drainage is it is the most cost effective method. It delivers the most natural and best visual aesthetics. It will also lend itself to the best playability because of the lack of drains. Drainage systems – It is ideal to avoid drainage systems when possible.
What type of soil is best for a golf course?
The best soil to build a golf course on is the sandy variety. Sandy soil allows shapers and construction crews to easily move and contour the ground to their desired specs. The sand also plays a pivotal role in drainage and playing conditions. Sandy soil drains better, allowing a golf course to play firm and fast on a more regular basis.
What is design build golf?
Design-Build is a philosophy that has had a resurgence at the hands of Coore & Crenshaw and Tom Doak. These two changed the industry by controlling all aspects of a golf course build. As its name suggests, Design-Build this approach involves the architects designing and building the course. The architects will work with a group ...
Why is sand capping important?
This is a process where 4” or more of sand is added during the construction of a golf course to facilitate drainage and firm conditions. While it adds to the overall construction cost of the project, it lowers ongoing maintenance expenses and adds to the playing conditions.
What was the method used by the Golden Age Architects?
Surface drainage was the method used by the Golden Age Architects. Seth Raynor and George Thomas (and his construction partner Billy Bell) were renowned for their abilities in this field.
Why use a drainage basin?
One issue that arises with using drainage systems is the water tends to settle around the drain. This will create a softer area where grass doesn’t grow as quickly and firm conditions cease to exist.
What is the importance of drainage in golf?
Drainage should be an important consideration at all golf courses and, especially for those situated on impermeable clay soil, a properly designed, correctly installed, accurately recorded, and well maintained drainage system can be the key to a successful golf club.
Why are there paths from tees on holes?
Pathways from tees on some holes can be considered to reduce the overall area where drainage is required.
How deep should a fairway drain be?
Fairway drainage does not generally need to be deep, with 450mm being typical for plastic pipe laterals and 500mm minimum for 100mm carrier drains. The use of quality drainage aggregate above the laterals is vital: clean 6mm, or 4/10mm gravel is ideal and widely available.
Why is bunker drainage important?
Bunker drainage can sometimes suffer because some course designers fail to realise the difficulty of finding suitable outfall points for deep bunkers. The installation of bunker drainage is one area where ‘in-house’ installation can be cost effective compared to using outside contractors though as with all drainage, it is essential that pipes be laid to correct falls.
How many hectares are in an 18 hole golf course?
A typical 18-hole course may cover around fifty hectares and to properly understand actual or potential waterlogging problems it is necessary to appreciate how water moves onto, across, and off the entire course. Knowledge of surface contours is essential and a professional topographical survey will provide this data, and a range of other information to aid general management of the course. All existing watercourses (streams, ditches, ponds, main carrier pipes, etc.) should be plotted to enable an assessment of the existing arterial drainage system.
Do golf courses in the UK have waterlogged greens?
Many UK courses have clay-based greens and tees which can be prone to severe waterlogging. Whilst some, like Wentworth recently, have resorted to a complete greens rebuilding programme, most clubs do not have the necessary finance available. Fortunately, good quality professionally installed greens drainage systems are available for around £6k per green which, whilst not matching the performance of a USGA green, will transform the playability of greens during winter.
Can irrigation pipes be installed without drainage?
Irrigation pipework and other underground services should not be installed without considering if existing drainage could be damaged as a result.
What university is demonstrating how constructed wetlands can be used to limit runoff?
Purdue University research demonstrates how constructed wetlands can be used to limit runoff.
What are common misconceptions about managing soil water?
Common misconceptions about managing soil water often lead to poor performance of sand-channel drains, especially on putting greens. Know which soil physical properties matter the most when selecting backfill material for drainage trenches. Trust But Verify.
Is drainage important for putting greens?
Just as location is important in real estate, drainage is the foundation of any good putting green. Planning A Golf Course Drainage Project. Proper planning is essential for a successful drainage project. Subsurface Drainage of Modern Putting Greens. There's a lot going on below the surface.
What is drainage in golf?
The designer will always be thinking about drainage during the grading of the course. Indicated by contour lines on a plan the design will allow for surface drainage while retaining the flowing lines that make a golf course visually pleasing. Drains will collect surface water and divert it to low spots, the drainage system, streams and irrigation lakes.
Why is drainage important in golf?
On a golf course drainage is needed to remove water away from the playing surfaces allowing it to remain playable following and even during heavy downpours. Good drainage will also help prevent damage to the turf which can occur when water accumulates into puddles and is left standing for too long. From the outset establishing how ...
What is a slit drain?
The slit drains connect to collector pipes laid in a lattice of lateral drains which then link to main drains that tend to run parallel to the fairway (except where slopes do not permit). The lateral drains consist of a trench with a perforated pipe at the bottom and backfilled with gravel.
Why is green drainage important?
Green drainage is especially important to avoid puddles and general wet areas which will impact on play. Green drainage consists of perforated pipes or drainage tiles laid out in a herringbone pattern. To make the green drain efficiently it’s important to lay out drainage pattern perpendicular to the flow of water across the slope.
What is drainage maintenance?
Drainage maintenance is an ongoing process. Regular drainage maintenance may involve sand slitting, aerating, top dressing and clearing debris from ditches and the like. Catch Basins have to be regularly maintained to clear debris from the grate on the surface so that the drainage is not inhibited, and periodically the trap at the bottom of the catch basins have to be cleaned. It is proper maintenance practise to keep an up to date drainage works plan to record all repairs and maintenance to the drainage system.
How to drain sand bunkers?
Bunker drainage is notorious for becoming blocked and ideally surface water should be directed away from the bunkers. This can be done by shaping surrounding ground to divert water away. Typically the drainage pipes in bunkers are designed in a herringbone pattern.
What is the purpose of gravel sumps?
Turf is placed over a permable membrane which makes them almost invisible to the eye. Gravel Sumps are another means by which to collect water in low areas. Gravel sumps are commonly used in out of play areas where the topography does not permit the use of a piped drainage system.
Why do golf course drainage systems fail?
There are several reasons drainage systems fail. Poor design or improper installation can lead to drainage failures. The effectiveness of existing drains also can be compromised by lack of maintenance or accidental damage during construction projects. Furthermore, tree roots can clog drain lines, rendering them useless. Sometimes existing drainage can be overwhelmed by increases in storm- water flow. Entire drainage systems can be compromised by changes that occur outside the golf course property. These can be the most complex and difficult problems to contend with, especially when the solutions require cooperation from adjacent property owners or government entities. Chal- lenging or not, drainage issues should not be ignored. Conditions will only get worse if drainage issues are not resolved.
What is a master plan for golf course drainage?
A master plan is comprehensive and offers systematic solutions to address drainage issues while identifying, prioritizing, and guiding the work that needs to be done. Furthermore, a master plan will provide specifications for the drainage work and detailed costs for materials and installation. In-house staff can often implement parts of a drainage master plan, but some areas may require the help of an experienced contractor. The article Planning a Golf Course Drainage Project provides greater detail on developing master plans for drainage projects.
How to stop side hill seepage?
Seepage water can be especially problematic during spring snow melt or extended periods of wet weather. Subsurface drains are an effective way to intercept side-hill seepage. A subsurface drain should be installed across the hillside immediately above the upper limit of where the side-hill seepage reaches the surface . The drainage trench must be deep enough to reach the impermeable layer and usually is backfilled to the surface with coarse sand. Occasionally, gravel also is placed against the trench wall.
How do I dig a drain line?
Drainpipes that are 4 inches in diameter and larger require wider and deeper trenches that are usually made with a mini-excavator or small backhoe. Start digging drainage trenches at the discharge point and work uphill to the end of the line, ensuring there is sufficient slope within the drain line for water to reach the discharge point. Drainage trenches should be dug wide enough to provide a 1- to 2.5-inch gap on both sides of the pipe to allow backfill material to surround the pipe and protect it from crushing. However, trenches should not be overly wide to avoid unnecessary cost and disruption. Trenches for 4- and 6-inch drain lines should be dug with a standard 12-inch wide bucket. The slope of a drain line will depend on the elevation difference between the highest point of the drain line and the outlet. Ideally, drain lines should have a minimum slope of 1 percent — i.e., fall 1 vertical foot for every 100 feet of horizontal run. Though not ideal, drain lines can function with slopes as low as 0.1 percent — i.e., fall 1 vertical foot for every 1,000 feet of horizontal run, but they require precise installation with lasers and an experienced crew. The slope of each drainage trench
Why is puddling bad for golf?
The combination of impermeable soils and runoff from a neighboring property can leave areas too wet for mowing or golf during wet weather . Standing water above a sunken drain line is a good indication that the pipe has failed and needs to be replaced.
What is surface drainage?
As the name implies, surface drainage involves the flow of water over a sur- face, including playing surfaces, cart paths, roadways, and the swales and open ditches that are used to carry water through a golf course. Surface drainage is a critical component of
Why is my golf course not draining?
The most common causes of drainage issues on golf courses are inadequate surface drainage, imper- meable soil conditions, side-hill seep- age, and high water tables. Identifying the causes of drainage problems can be challenging, but it is the key to a successful drainage project.
Importance
- A primary drainage system consists of a series of ‘lateral’ drains installed across the area in question, connecting to a ‘main’ carrier pipe that channels the water collected by the system to an outfall. So far, so simple. The key determining factors in the effectiveness of primary drainage s…
Topographical Survey
Arterial Drainage Improvements
Fairway Drainage
Greens & Tees
Bunkers
- Using the survey results in conjunction with physical site investigations a competent designer may suggest improvements to the arterial drainage system which can either be features within the course itself (new ponds, open ditches, etc.), or can be implemented less obtrusively using large diameter buried pipes and hidden water storage, from which drainage water could be re-us…
Miscellaneous
- Each individual hole can then be assessed in terms of drainage requirements. The main factor determining the overall cost and effectiveness of a golf course drainage system will be the spacing of the lateral drains on the fairways. On clay soil five-metre spacing is fairly typical. The most commonly installed lateral drains are 60mm or 80mm perforated plastic pipes though mo…