Why this machine could benefit your golf course

By Alistair September 13, 2018 06:50 Updated

This summer many courses discovered that plant cell enzymes had been destroyed by the prolonged hot weather. As one club found, a solution is a turf fan.

There are hundreds of turf varieties, but no matter how strong, they are all susceptible to suffer from heat stress. We could easily believe that it is a problem limited only to the southern areas of the world, but cool season grasses can suffer even during mild weather. On sunny days, canopy or leaf temperatures can be 9°C higher than the environment temperature, depending on the soil characteristics. Creeping bentgrass, for example, has a net energy loss when soil temperatures rise above 30°C, so if the sun is high and the air temperature is above 21°C, which can happen even in northern parts of UK, we could see some loss of functionality of both roots and leaves of the plant.

The spell of warm weather we have had lately is the perfect example that when a green’s subsoil temperature reaches high levels, grass roots begin to shrink, root growth rates decrease, turf begins to thin and large patches of brown or white turf begin to appear until the plant dies.

The cause of death is a process called ‘denaturation’, which is the destruction of enzymes situated inside the plants cells by the heat.

The lack of air movement will cause stress not only for the plant but also the turf manager. If grass is not transpiring correctly, it will not be able to cool itself down, reducing the plant’s physiological abilities to recover while increasing its susceptibility to diseases. Let’s also remember that dew and humidity remaining on the sward for prolonged periods is a primary factor in the development of algae.

How do we increase air movement? Simply by improving air circulation. Better air exchange benefits the grass in several ways.

How do turf fans improve turf health?

There are different types of turf fans and they have evolved considerably since they first started being used on sports fields. Caged, oscillating or turbo are the most common ones observed, oscillating being considered the most beneficial for turf care. They have been developed to provide smooth airflow across the turf canopy.

Blowing air at a specific velocity across the turf canopy controls excess moisture reducing the number of consecutive hours of leaf wetness and increasing evapotranspiration, avoiding fungi diseases and algae problems. Air passing over the turf canopy makes micro-aeration much more effective, reducing heat stress by lowering both canopy and soil temperature. Not only does the surface benefit but also the rootzone, as soil moisture can be reduced by as much as 10 per cent. The physiology of the plant will be improved, maximising fungicide performance, therefore reducing the number of applications, saving money and providing a more sustainable environment.

What is subsurface aeration?

Whilst turf fans will help with surface air circulation, a subsurface solution can be considered to provide continuous soil gas / oxygen exchange without disturbing the playing surface, moderating soil temperature extremes and controlling moisture levels.

The Golf Course at Adare Manor is the latest to employ the use of SubAir technology. The Fazio Design renovation included 19 SubAir units in total, providing air movement for constant gas exchange and to moderate the temperature in the root zone. With Pure Distinction surfaces and the need to minimise surface disturbance, it was recognised that sub-surface air exchange was a key factor in the long-term success of ensuring world-class conditions.

The system is designed to evenly distribute air throughout the whole profile, using vacuum or pressure modes to pull or push ambient air through the turfgrass canopy or gravel layer. SubAir gained notoriety for the rapid removal of excess surface water, indeed 36 times faster than gravity, but its core benefit is air exchange. The result is a magnificent golf course which remains eminently playable in all conditions, whatever the Irish weather may have in store.

For more on air movement solutions, visit: www.bernhard.co.uk/products/subair-turfbreeze