Golf Course Maintenance

The Equipment that Makes Pristine Play Areas Possible

Maintaining a beautiful golf course requires regular maintenance. Visitors and golfers expect lush green roughs, consistently trimmed putting greens and fairways, level tee grounds, neat sand bunkers and attractively placed foliage. Ground maintenance crews rely on a variety of equipment along with dependable engines to keep their machines running on a daily basis.

 

Golf Course Anatomy

To know what kind of equipment is needed for maintaining a golf course, it’s helpful to gain a deeper understanding of the golf course itself along with the characteristics that define each area within the course.

The size, layout and design of different golf courses can vary greatly, but each section comes with pretty standard expectations from golfers. For starters, most golf courses have 9 or 18 holes. For every hole, there is a teeing ground and large playing area consisting of different grassy regions and hazards.

Tee Box / Teeing Area

The teeing area or teeing grounds is a designated space where each hole begins. The tee box is a rectangular space within the teeing area. The tee box limits are typically defined by two markers placed at the front corners of the box and the depth extends two club lengths back. The golfer can place their ball and tee anywhere within these limits. Oftentimes, multiple tee boxes exist in the teeing area to accommodate golfers of varying skill levels, provide different starting angles and to minimize turf wear.

Maintaining the Teeing Area: Equipment for Healthy, Level Grounds

The teeing ground is a heavy traffic area which can result in soil compaction. Because of this, aerating is especially important. Aerators poke holes or remove cores of soil in the ground to help water and nutrients reach grass roots and lessen the effects of compaction. 

[In search of a replacement engine for your aerator? Check out Equipatron’s collection of small engines that are commonly used on aerators.]

Topdressers come in handy for teeing area maintenance, too. Topdressers spread sand to fill any gaps in the turf. This distribution of sand creates a smoother, more level playing area, reduces thatch development and improves drainage for healthier-looking grass. Topdressers come in different forms: walk-behind manual topdressers, ride-on topdressers and tow-behind topdressers.

Some crews might also use their topdresser as a granular fertilizer spreader as these two pieces of equipment have the same functionality of evenly spreading granulated materials. Fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide use is crucial for golf courses to maintain the lush, green, healthy appearance that golfers and visitors have come to expect. These agrochemicals come in granular and liquid form, so having commercial spreader and/or sprayer machinery is crucial for efficient large-scale turf application. At Equipatron, we have a large selection of engines that commonly power spreader and sprayer equipment. Whether you have a tow-behind unit, a rider or a walking spreader/sprayer, we’re likely to have a replacement engine to minimize downtime. Contact us for assistance identifying the correct engine for your equipment today!

Of course, we can’t forget about mowing. Mowers are a required piece of equipment in every grassy section of the golf course. In the teeing area specifically, a reel mower is the best option to use because it is most capable of cleanly cutting turf at especially low heights. Reel mowers have a cylinder of helical blades that meet a bedknife, resulting in a scissor-like snipping action for extra-clean and precise cuts. The teeing area and tee box are expected to have low-level grass – no longer than ½”. Reel mowers can achieve this while keeping grass healthy with their clean cutting action. More on reel mowers to come…

Fairway

The fairway of a golf course is a stretch of closely cut, durable turfgrass that exists as the path of least resistance to the target hole. Fairway grass should be cut to a short height (usually between ½” - 1½”) to reward accurate shots. A ball that lands in the fairway will have an ideal "lie," meaning it won’t be buried by grass – it will sit almost fully exposed for better control and accuracy in the next shot. Sometimes, grounds crews will stripe the fairway, or create a visual striped pattern while mowing, to aid golfers in accurately aligning their shot.

Maintaining the Fairway: Efficient Equipment for the Acreage

Much of the equipment needed to maintain the teeing area is also required for keeping the fairway looking top notch. The main difference is that the fairway usually covers a much larger area, meaning large-scale commercial equipment can make much more efficient use of the grounds crew's time.

Aerators, topdressers, spreaders, sprayers and mowers all come in commercial ride-on or tow-behind models that can accomplish large jobs in a short amount of time.

Reel mowers, once again, are irreplaceable on almost all areas of golf courses, including the fairway. For large areas of turf, triplex fairway mowers or even five-plex reel mowers have multiple reels to cover wide swaths of grass at once without sacrificing clean, quality cuts.

Rough

The roughs of a golf course are areas that surround the fairway and greens and have grass that is intentionally cut to a longer length. On many courses, the grass in the rough gradually gets longer as it gets farther away from the fairway. The farther the golfer strays from the intended path, the harder it will be to accurately hit the ball. The rough exists, in essence, to punish inaccurate shots by making it more difficult to get back on track.

A good portion of the rough can appear as naturalized stretches of grassland, but that doesn’t mean it’s left to grow wild. There is much work to be done to maintain an overall neat appearance, even in the roughs (and especially in native roughs). In an article from Golf Course Industry, John Torisello reports that anywhere from 10-20% of a ground crew’s time is spent maintaining rough. This includes herbicide applications, debris removal, weeding, thinning, topdressing and cutting.

Many golfers have come to expect graduated roughs. As mentioned previously, this means the length of grass in the rough gets longer as it gets farther away from the fairway. A graduated rough requires extra detail-oriented maintenance. 

The first cut, or semi-rough, is the ribbon of grass directly surrounding the fairway. This section of grass should only be cut slightly longer than the fairway so as not to penalize golfers who land their ball here too much. The first cut provides a fluffy lie that is comparable to hitting a ball off the fairway.

The primary rough is cut consistently to a length between 2 and 3 inches. This length of grass reduces golfers’ control over accuracy and speed as blades of grass get caught between the clubhead and the ball.

Finally, the last section of rough is known as extreme or native rough. This grass is allowed to grow extra long for a naturalized grassland appearance. Extreme rough is a major hazard in gameplay as golfers may have to hack the ball out. Oftentimes, landing in this part of the rough results in lost balls.

Maintaining the Rough: Rotary for Rough Cuts

While a reel mower may be the best piece of equipment for cutting the semi rough surrounding the fairway, the bulk of the rough can be cut with riding or tow-behind rotary mowers. These are your standard lawn tractors with horizontal, spinning blades that utilize the sharp blade edge and high impact to cut grass blades at longer heights.

Pull-behind gang mowers, including flex-wing or batwing types, are capable of covering large swaths of grass and can follow contours and slopes without scalping the ground.

[Check out our extensive collection of replacement riding mower engines. Minimize downtime with the right replacement small engine for your zero-turn mower or lawn tractor from Equipatron.]

Maintaining your rotary riding mower blades is equally important to keeping them powered. Dull blades can tear grass and result in browning blade tips and uneven cuts. Keep your blades sharp with a blade grinder or, if damage to the mower blade is beyond repair, it’s best to purchase replacement mower blades to keep turf looking healthy and manicured.

For native roughs (or naturalized roughs) with extra long grass, debris collection is essential in maintaining an overall neat appearance. Flail collectors are capable of mowing, chopping and collecting clippings all in one pass. Sweepers and industrial vacuums come in handy for keeping all areas of the golf course looking spotless, too.

Once again, much of the equipment used for maintaining the teeing area and fairway is also useful in the rough – this includes large scale aerators, spreaders, sprayers and topdressers.

Hazards

According to the United States Golf Association, the official terminology regarding hazards has changed a bit. The term hazard is itself being phased out and is not used as an official umbrella term in the new Rules of Golf from 2019. Instead, bunkers and penalty areas are the main terms being used to describe obstacles and areas that penalize a player. 

Penalty areas include what golfers previously referred to as water hazards, or any body of water, plus any other area of the course the Committee has deemed a penalty area. Penalty areas are marked as red or yellow, and the color label assigned to the area determines the relief options available to the player. We’re not going to get into the nitty gritty of golf play, but you can learn more on the USGA’s official rules and clarifications page.

Bunkers are areas of the course that have been intentionally hollowed out and filled with sand. They are strategically placed to challenge and test a players skill. Special clubs along with stroke techniques and practice aid players in ball recovery.

Maintaining Penalty Areas & Bunkers: Equipment for Sand and Water

Bodies of water on a golf course often have a greater purpose than simply existing as an attractive obstacle for golfers and that purpose is irrigation. Pumps play a crucial role in ensuring the golf course’s massive amount of turf is kept adequately hydrated. The pump station is the heart of the irrigation system on a golf course and usually exists hidden in a building or inconspicuous central area – it’s responsible for the bulk of water transfer.

Portable pumps like transfer pumps, submersible pumps and well pumps are also used on golf courses to manage water levels and assist with irrigation needs. Check out Equipatron’s collection of replacement water pump engines. We also have a great selection of pumps from Wacker Neuson.

Specialized utility vehicles called bunker rakes are used to efficiently smooth and level sand in bunkers to create a consistent surface for game play. Handheld rakes get the job done, but gas-powered equipment tackles the task much faster. Many multi-use utility vehicles have bunker rake attachments allowing for added versatility without requiring an entirely new machine, but they often don’t offer specific functionalities for maintaining sand traps. For example, the Toro Sand Pro 2040Z features “lift in turn” technology that allows for tight turns without leaving un-raked sand behind. Need a new engine for your bunker rake machine? Give us a call to see if we have the right replacement engine for your equipment!

Green / Putting Green

The final section of the hole is the putting green. This area is where the hole, or cup, lives. The hole must be 4½” in diameter and is usually about 4” deep. It is marked by a “pin,” or a flagstick for identification from a further distance. The putting green requires the shortest length of grass – less than ⅛” – and therefore needs precise maintenance. 

The outer edge of the putting green is referred to as the fringe, or apron. This border of grass is slightly longer and exists both as a buffer between the fairway or rough and as an additional challenge to the player.

The green itself is typically not perfectly flat; slopes and contours test a golfer's ability to read how the ground shape will affect their endgame.

Maintaining the Green: Reel Mowers are the Real Heroes

Yet again, a reel mower (or cylinder mower) is the best option when it comes to maintaining putting greens. These cylinder mowers excel on obstacle free lawns that need frequent mowing and their clean cutting action reduces water loss and prevents disease in grass. Putting greens are probably the most important area to keep grass super-short and manicured – cutting corners in the final section of a hole can negatively affect a golfer's game. Reel mowers are the only choice for reliable results.

At Equipatron, we stock the Honda GX120-SJD2 - a dependable replacement engine that commonly powers golf course greens mowers. Check out other engines we stock that are used on reel mowers. If you aren’t sure which engine is right for your reel mower, we have small engine experts that are available to verify the correct engine for your equipment - give us a call at 855-264-6487 or send us a message today!

Additional Equipment for Golf Course Maintenance

We’ve covered some of the most important equipment needed for maintaining the different areas of a golf course including reel mowers, rotary mowers, aerators, topdressers, spreaders, sprayers and sweepers. But wait, there’s more! Below is a list of additional equipment that can be essential in efficiently caring for the course.

Verticutters: This is a vertical mower that has an adjustable rack of blades to remove the layer of thatch that can accumulate on frequently mowed lawns and turf. If left alone, thatch can block nutrients and water from reaching soil, preventing healthy grass from growing. For smaller areas, walk-behind verticutters can make tighter turns and navigate easily around obstacles. Other types of verticutters can be mounted on a tractor or attached to large-scale reel mowers.

Rollers: These are heavy cylindrical weights that roll behind tractors and riding mowers to make grass look and feel smoother. Rollers can be used in multiples (or a gang) to extend the application width for more efficient use of time.

Utility Vehicles & Golf Carts: Golf courses are big - way too big to get around quickly by foot. Utility vehicles and golf courts get you from point A to point B fast and will conveniently carry all the necessary hand tools or small equipment for whatever tasks that need tackling. Plus, many utility vehicles are capable of pulling tow-behind equipment, including the ones mentioned above. In need of a replacement engine for your UTV or golf cart? Shop replacement utility vehicle engines and golf cart engines at Equipatron!

Leaf Blowers & Debris Vacuums: We touched a little bit on industrial vacuums and sweepers for debris management, but both handheld and large scale leaf blower/vacs really come in handy on a golf course and keep everything looking neat. At Equipatron, we have replacement engines for smaller leaf blowers and industrial vacuums and sweepers alike. Check out our collection of leaf blower and debris vacuum engines or contact us to find the right replacement.

Chainsaws & Pole Pruners: Trees and foliage add interest to the golf course landscape, and they need maintenance too. Chainsaws and pruners are essential tools needed to remove problem limbs and shape shrubbery. Our sister store American Forestry is a great resource for all your arborist needs. Check out their collection of chainsaws from top brands like Stihl, Efco, Worx and Oregon.

Trimmers & Edgers: Mowers can take care of most of the cutting on a golf course, but trimmers and edgers come in handy around obstacles and hardscapes such as pathways, trees, sprinkler heads, decorative elements and more. Trimmers are also useful on steep slopes where it is too dangerous to mow with large machinery and edgers can be used to give vertical bunker edges an extra clean cut. At Equipatron, we have ready-to-use edgers and trimmers available for purchase. Need a new engine for your gas-powered equipment? We have replacement edger engines and trimmer engines available too!

Wrap-Up

Maintaining a golf course is no small task – it takes a reliable, detail-oriented grounds crew and a fleet of dependable equipment to keep up with today’s standards and expectations. When you're gas-powered tools are in need of a new engine, Equipatron is just a click away. Our team of experienced customer service representatives and technicians can find the right engine for your equipment and have a motor on it's way to you in no time!