Increased Surface Drainage

If there is one thing a golf course can never have enough of, it's surface drainage. This past week we were able to install drainage inlets in four locations on the south end of the course. Back in the fall of 1995 drainage was installed so the fairways would drain better on holes 4, 13, 12, and 5. The tile started on 4 and runs across 13, 12, 5 and then ends at the pond on the 6th hole. During spring thaws and during heavy rain events or prolonged periods of rain we tend to always have "birdbaths" in a few isolated locations along these fairways. What is also evident is there is quite a bit of poa annua that grows in these low wet areas. In order for us to have a fighting change at getting creeping bentgrass to dominate these locations it is imperative that we maintain these areas as dry as possible.

Devan Visser, our Trainee from South Africa fitting the riser to the existing tile line.

Drainage box set at grade on the 5th fairway.

The completed project on the 5th hole. A job well done!

Once we were able to locate the tile line, our staff, lead by Assistant Superintendents' Nick Folk and Rick Krause, were then able to install the drain boxes. Locating the tile for three of the four inlets was pretty easy since the tile was not more than 18 inches below the surface, the fourth one took a little bit more digging and was about 3 1/2 to 4ft deep. We have a few more minor drainage projects to complete this year and with the mild spring weather we are experiencing we should easily be able to get the work completed.


The shallow tile line on the 13th fairway made for an easy dig and a quick installation of the drain inlet.