Golf courses are large, open, green spaces that require lots of efforts to keep them maintained. Depending on the quality of the golf course, some may even need more inputs than others. The major challenge is to keep the playing surface healthy. It is why golf courses need lots of water which is done through large sprinklers both inside as well as outside the golf course. However, if compared to other types of irrigation, golf courses are the most efficient users of water.
This efficiency is attained through a combination of golf course irrigation systems and irrigation tanks.
Nowadays, an increased number of golf courses are utilizing recycled water to irrigate their turf; especially it is easily available to their facility. There are many advantages of using effluent water, like reduced fertilizer and nutrient use and also lower supply cost. However, effluent stream needs to be carefully managed, otherwise it may damage the turf, especially susceptible to high salt concentration.
Irrigation sprinklers used for golf courses differ a lot than the ones used for landscape irrigation. A golf course may have 500 – 5000 sprinklers, depending on the area. It may have even more for an 18-hole facility. Many golf courses have landscape system for irrigation areas, especially around the clubhouse, pool, tennis court and entrance areas. These systems may use different water sources. Many times, landscape irrigation functions on a portable source and different type of water supply.
Irrigation control system for golf course is operated from a computer. The software that operates off a database includes all the information about each sprinkler, like soil type, ability to cycle water on, percent slope, etc. Each golf course sprinkler can be individually controlled allowing the area covered by the sprinkler accurately watered.
Thus a golf course efficiently utilizes water for its maintenance.
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