How A Golf Course Handles Landscape Maintenance

Many people enjoy the idea of playing golf and having a golf day at the club, but few consider the continued maintenance of a golf course landscape. The golf course requires specific maintenance to keep the different aspects of the landscape intact. Of course, there are certain myths that people believe regarding this maintenance, and they misrepresent the maintenance crew. We are provided information by Legends Landscaping on the myths and identify what fallacies exist regarding golf course landscape maintenance.

1. The Golf Course Superintendent Overwaters

A common complaint from golf players is the course being too wet. If you think about it, it makes sense that the course would be wet considering that golf is played outdoors on grass. Each round played damages the turf and affects the drainage, so when rain falls, it will soak into the ground. Golfers tend to ignore Mother Nature, and many blame the wet ground on the maintenance crew.

The first fallacy is that superintendents overwater the golf course. While some cases may find overwatering occurring, it is common that the soaking ground is due to rainfall and not overwatering. The last thing any superintendent or maintenance crew would want to do is overwater because this can damage the grass.

2. No Maintenance Is Done In The Off-Season

Just as the average individual has few days off work, it is a fallacy that the golf course maintenance crew is off work during the off-season. The individuals are employed as part of the grounds crew, and as this is their full-time employment, they have no free time during the year – even when the golf course is closed. Furthermore, the job requires tending a live field, so there is a constant need to mow lawns, clean fairways, and keep bunkers cleared.

The off-season is the more productive part of the year because we can complete other less “hands-on” tasks. During this time many crews will focus on budgets, fixing equipment, taking educational seminars, and preparing for the upcoming season.

3. Greens Are Being Aerated And Crews Rest

All golfers hate aeration of the greens and will accuse maintenance crews of performing this practice when the course is at its best. Golfers feel that this is an invasive method, but the thing is that aeration is a requirement to ensure the greens stay at their best. If the golfers desire healthy greens to withstand the peak playing season, it is necessary to complete this practice before play reaches its highest level. If not, the green will become soft and unhealthy. This is not being done so the crews can rest, but so the golfers can enjoy their game.

4. Sustainability Refers To A Healthier, Environmentally Sensitive Golf Course

The term sustainability is becoming a buzzword in the golfing industry and is being associated with maintenance, prolonging, or continuation of what a person is doing. This term is not in a maintenance crew member’s job description, and it is a fallacy that they focus on sustainability. Plus, they are aware of the full truth that no golf course is fully sustainable.

A dry course is standard, but this is something that will put a superintendent’s job at risk because of the sustainability buzzword. This will lead to over-spraying, overwatering, and over-fertilizing as quickly as possible to try and fix the brown area – all actions that could damage the golf course landscape.

5. Televised Golfing Is The Standard Style

After watching golfers play on the television, every golfing amateur now feels the need to behave in the same manner as these professionals. The fact is that this is not reality and no conditions are the same as the courses seen on the television. A person may see the Augusta National golf course with its green perfection, but this is not the same golf course landscape available at the local golf club. In fact, it is not even attainable by usual standards, and the members need to understand this fact before entering the golf course.

As can be seen, there are various issues associated with maintenance of a golf course landscape. The information above points out the different myths and how they influence the golfing experience.