subject: Advantages Of A Good Golf Course Irrigation System [print this page] Water remains to be the most vital component for the survival of a golf course. In areas where rainwater is not that adequate, an irrigation system plays a vital role to supply properly and evenly distribute water to the grasses and other greeneries. The system prevents the meadows from drying.
There are several factors to consider in choosing a good irrigation system for golf course.
Water Source
Make sure that the source is of good quality and can be used for watering the turf. Although it is more practical to just have the golf course connected to the municipal water system, there are certain restrictions in water usage during the times of drought when the supply is distributed due to scarcity. The field will surely suffer when not supplied with the adequate water.
To maintain the constant supply of water for the greens in the golf course, it should have a backup system that can be used should there be unavoidable circumstances that would transpire especially when the supply from the municipal water system stops abruptly.
Water Efficiency
The water use of golf courses in the US every year is estimated to over 476 million gallons. The highest consumption is recorded in the southwest wherein a single golf course uses up more than 88 million gallons of water every year.
Based on the reports of irrigation association, around 79% of fresh water is used for irrigation purposes, 2.9% in landscape while 1.5% is used in golf courses. The 16% remaining is used for human, animal and industry consumption.
Here are some important details about efficient golf course irrigation system:
A good irrigation system for golf course should provide an even distribution of water to the entire turf.
The most ideal irrigation system is the sprinkler or the drip irrigation system with timers for automatic control of turning on when the turf needs irrigating and shutting off the system when the amount of water needed is already distributed. Although sprinkler systems are widely used in golf courses, the system can really waste large amount of water.
For efficient watering needs, the drip irrigation system is recommended. Water will pass through the holes in the hose that were lined all over the golf course.
Buried pipes, pop-up sprinkler heads with control systems are also ideal for golf courses.
Sprinkler irrigation systems with timer and rain sensor are also of big assistance. There is no need to manually operate the system. When it has a timer you can just simply set the time when to shut it off.
Rain sensors are also important component of a good golf course irrigation system. Once the system detects a rainfall, it will automatically turn off, thus, avoiding wastage of liquid while providing the turf with enough water.
There are two categories where automated irrigation system falls. They are either used in golf or commercial/residential use. The functions are usually the same; the only difference is the pressure required for each application. Golf courses require higher pressure to enable water to be distributed quickly due to the large area of coverage. Residential use only requires lower pressure since the place is a lot smaller.
