Everything Your Golf Course Needs to Stay at its Best
Dealing with weather is one of the leading challenges golf courses face throughout the year. Heavy rain, standing water, and washouts can cause major delays that impact golf course revenue. One of the best ways to navigate these challenges is through improving your golf course drainage system. By clearing water from trouble areas faster you can reduce downtime, increase cart usage, improve customer experience, and fill more tee times.
At Ontario Agra, we offer a full range of golf course maintenance solutions. Some of the main products our golf courses use are subdrain, geotextiles, and culverts. Below we’ll explore the different uses of these products, and the positive impact they have on golf course maintenance.
Subdrain
Subdrain is a single wall corrugated HDPE pipe. Ideal for drainage projects where flexibility, maneuverability, and low cost are important. Subdrain is available in solid pipe for transporting water, along with perforated with and without filter sock, which are used for drainage.
How Subdrain Benefits Your Golf Course
Subsurface drainage through subdrain installation works by removing excess water. Improved drainage creates significant benefits for your soil health, reduces environmental impact, and increases course playability hours for larger profits year after year.
1. Reduces Excess Water
Subsurface drainage redirects water away from areas with a high water table. This is critical for areas with frequent flooding and soil saturation that can negatively impact grass health, playability, and golf cart usage.
2. Increases Drought Tolerance
In areas where drought is a challenge, subdrain systems can be used to improve water retention in the soil, or divert excess rainwater to holding ponds for future use. Well drained soil encourages roots to grow deeper, improving drought tolerance. This is extremely beneficial during the peak of summer, where rainfall is reduced and irrigation is more heavily relied on.
3. Lowers Environmental Impact
Water runoff from golf courses can be high in chemical and organic compounds, which can cause issues for neighbouring water supply. A drainage system will ensure that this runoff is redirected to avoid local rivers and ponds, protecting the local ecosystem.
Subdrain is most commonly used on golf courses as a way of draining fairways quickly, reducing standing water in low areas, and getting players back out onto the course as quickly as possible after rainfall.
Geotextile
Golf courses have a range of uses for non-woven geotextiles, such as under stone during the construction of pathways, lining bunkers to contain sand and separate soil, and wrapping drainage pipes to minimize sediment infiltration. Below you’ll find the basics of our most popular geosynthetic material, non-woven geotextile.
What is Non-Woven Geotextile:
- Needle-punched.
- Made of 100% polypropylene staple fibers formed into a random network for dimensional stability.
- Has excellent chemical compatibility.
- Resistant to UV deterioration, rotting, biological degradation, naturally encountered basics, and acids.
- Easy to install.
The uses of non-woven geotextile for golf courses include:
- Subsurface drainage
- Containment
- Under riprap or around pipes
- Soil separation
- Filtration
- Erosion & sediment control
- Sub-grade stabilization
- Protection of geomembrane liners in ponds
Culvert
The most common culvert used on golf courses is HDPE (plastic). HDPE culvert is chosen because it is lightweight, easy to install, chemical resistant, and economical. They feature dual wall construction with a smooth interior, maximizing water flow. Culverts are great for removing water from low points, underneath cart paths, and directing large amounts of water into ponds. Below you can find some of the benefits of choosing HDPE culvert for your project.
- Lightweight: Its light weight allows for safe handling and quick installation with minimal equipment.
- Hydraulic performance: The smooth interior ensures optimum flow capacity for storm sewer applications.
- Cost effective: Less equipment and manpower required for installation.
- Chemical Resistant: Highly resistant to chemical attack and abrasive environments.
- UV Resistant: A minimum of 2% carbon black additive protects against UV light deterioration.
- Durable: Highly durable; withstands impact in all weather conditions.
Installation Advantages
HDPE culvert is significantly lighter than CSP (steel) or concrete culverts. Due to the reduced weight, installation requires less time, smaller equipment, and increased workability on jobsites. Being able to install your drainage faster and more efficiently greatly decreases the labour costs. Handling lighter materials can also create a safer working environment. Lighter materials also have a lower freight cost and a wider range of delivery options.
Operational Efficiency
HDPE dual wall culvert has a smooth inside which results in higher fluid capacity at the same pressure compared to corrugated pipe interiors. The smooth interior also minimizes obstructions with flow, scaling, and material buildup inside the culvert. Due to the corrosive resistance of HDPE culvert, chemical inertness, and durable joints, HDPE culvert requires minimal maintenance over its lifespan. This reduces the time spent on repairs, replacements, inspections, and their associated costs.
Cost-Effectiveness
In addition to a lower material cost up front, you’ll also benefit from lower freight costs, installation costs, and maintenance costs, as discussed above. CSP (Steel) culvert can be a lower product cost once your diameter exceeds 36”.
Environmental Benefits
HDPE culvert is a recyclable plastic, contributing to sustainability and reducing landfill waste. The manufacturing process generally requires less energy compared to producing metal or concrete culverts. Lastly, the lower weight reduces fuel consumption throughout all stages of transportation.
Additional Golf Course Solutions
If you’re a part of the team at an Ontario golf course, we’d love the opportunity to review your projects and be a part of supplying your next job. We’ve got a small fleet of trucks on the road for fast delivery, and access to third party freight that can ship coast to coast. Reach out to Kyle by phone or email for customized advice.
