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Give it a Rest!
By John Foy, Director
and Todd Lowe, Agronomist |
 Golf
carts have become an integral part of the American game,
especially here in Florida due to the large number of senior
golfers and courses that wind their way through real estate
developments. Golf carts also are an important revenue source at
many facilities. Most golfers have a limited appreciation of the
significant negative impact golf carts have on turf quality and
course conditioning. Along with direct turf injury and wear
damage, a rapid buildup of soil compaction occurs in areas that
receive concentrated traffic, and this only further limits turf
growth and recovery.
Cart traffic problems are further compounded in Florida with
peak seasonal play occurring during the winter when the base
bermuda turf cover is not actively growing. Complaints about
tight fairway lies, or even no grass, along with a lack of
definition between the fairway and rough cuts occur because the
turf has literally become beat down. While generally not popular
with golfers or the course maintenance staff, aggressive cart
traffic management needs to be an ongoing part of routine
wintertime course management.
In addition to strict enforcement of multiple cart usage
policies (e.g. ninety degree rule) to distribute traffic over as
much area as possible, directional control devices (signs,
ropes, etc.) are necessary. Directional control devices need to
be put into place before the turf becomes totally worn out. They
also need to be routinely moved and traffic flow patterns
redirected. Supplemental aeration and fertilization of high
traffic areas, such as the ends of cart paths, also can help
minimize deterioration and promote some degree of recovery.
Another traffic management program or policy that is gaining
popularity is simply giving the turf a rest. This is
accomplished by designating one or two holes per nine as cart
path only for one week at a time. This setup is rotated among
the par 4 and par 5 holes throughout the winter and does not
adversely affect the pace of play of a course. Naturally,
accommodations need to be made for golfers with legitimate
physical disabilities. Giving the turf a rest is a simple,
inexpensive, yet effective cart traffic management strategy that
can be utilized at all golf courses.
Source: John Foy, jfoy@usga.org (772-546-2620) and Todd Lowe,
tlowe@usga.org (941-828-2625) |
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