€630,000 Golf Course Maintenance
Machinery Investment
Dear Member / Property Owner,
Further to the investment in 2020 of €399,000 to convert the grass of the tees, fairways and driving range to Pure Dynasty Paspalum and the green surrounds and roughs to Tall Fescue, now in its second summer of transition, we can really see the benefits of this decision!
Maintaining with the commitment of course investment, the Club had committed to a further investment of €630,000 for the purchase of a new fleet of state of the art golf course maintenance machinery to aide golf course superintendent Zach LaPorte and his team in maintaining the Indiana course to the highest of standards.
The technological advances that have taken place within the machinery industry, utilised for golf course maintenance, allows Desert Springs to both be at the forefront of this innovation and to benefit from it.
Further improved maintenance of the golf course, efficiency of time, reduction in machinery down time and maintenance repairs, and improved quality of the playing surfaces, are just a few examples of the benefits afforded by the new machinery.
Some machinery has already arrived and is out working on the course already with the remaining machines scheduled to be delivered over the next months. Below is a brief description and benefits of the machinery that has already arrived.
New Golf Course Maintenance Machinery at Desert Springs Golf Club
Utility vehicles
Six new electric utility vehicles have arrived with new battery technology allowing the golf course maintenance team to perform their daily routine with the barest of disturbance to the golfer. Additionally, this recent technology allows for longer daily vehicle use without having to recharge the batteries.
A larger multi-use vehicle comprising a larger loading capacity has also been added to the fleet. An additional benefit of this new machine is its capability to house several attachments such as topdressing machines and smaller sprayers.
Sand Pro Bunker Rake
The addition of the new Sand Pro is a huge step up in time saving efficiency, and the resulting improved quality of the bunkers playing surface. The sand pro has several attachments that allow for a deeper rake that loosens up the sand to a depth of 3-4 inches. This allows for a more uniform consistency of playing surface throughout the entire bunker. The bunker rake is also hydrostatic and can easily move sand around when there are unfortunate washouts after heavy rainfall.
Greens Rollers
Two new greens rollers have been added to improve time efficiency and quality of rolling. Rolling of the greens provides many player experience benefits such as improved speed of green and smooth and true putting surfaces. Importantly, studies have now shown that rolling greens will also assist in the reduction of certain turfgrass diseases.
Air2g2
The Air2g2 was developed to improve drainage, alleviate compaction, aerate the rootzone of the turfgrass and help reduce turfgrass disease. This is achieved by injecting high pressure air via three long spikes into the soil. The air is at such a high pressure that it essentially breaks up the soil creating a ‘looser’ soil profile allowing the roots to easily grow deeper and become healthier. This will be incredibly useful in the greens, and approaches, areas of high foot traffic, and can also be used in bunkers that have a tendency to hold water after heavy rainfall.
Sprayer
The sprayer is without a doubt the most important piece of machinery within the maintenance department. A significant part of the annual course maintenance budget is used for the application of fertilizers and chemicals, so it is essential that this machine is always performing at its best. The new sprayer, with state of the art technology, allows us to apply product in the exact areas we wish, without wasting said product.
This is accomplished via the GPS system that is precise to 5cm. Each nozzle is separately controlled by the central computer that activates and deactivates according to the GPS signal allowing us complete control over the individual areas of the golf course. This technology is estimated to save up to twenty percent (20%) of product use by eliminating overlapping and spraying into other areas because of lack of individual nozzle control. The sprayer also has an auto track GPS system in place that allows the machine to drive autonomously, always with a person in the driver’s seat, which saves a high amount of time by reducing overlap and driving the most efficient route to accomplish the application.
The investment within these machines and the remaining units to arrive will have a positive impact on both the on-going health and quality of the turfgrass, as well as and more importantly to the ever-improving playability of the Indiana course for our members and visiting guests.
Kind regards,
Zachary LaPorte
Golf Course Superintendent
