Of course firmness matters but the problem with this is that in addition to looking good on the links, bunker sand needs to have certain tangible characteristics to be properly functional.
One of the main concerns about bunker sand is irrigation. Will it flood after a heavy rainfall or will the bunker properly drain? Generally this issue is taken care of by installing a drainage system underneath the bunker and choosing the correct grain size sand. For instance, bunker sand that’s composed of more than 3% clay or silt is more likely to ‘pond’ after a rain shower. Choosing something like this in a heavy rainfall climate is unwise and will likely lead to much more upkeep and difficultly for the staff.
Similarly, if you choose a brand of bunker sand that is too coarse, this could be problematic also. Oftentimes, bunker sand is sprayed onto the green after a shot. Expensive mowers can be ruined attempting to mow over sand that has more than 7% coarse grain. This also reduces the quality of the putting green.
After deciding which type of bunker sand you’d like to use, like any good experiment, test it. Go ahead and renovate two or three of the main bunkers on your course. After a certain period of time, get the players feedback. Also, check for proper drainage and make sure that the sand isn’t ‘crusting’ or forming a thin, hard shell on the surface.
As long as you do your homework, maintain the drainage system underneath the bunker and purchase the correct sand with the correct grain size then your sand bunkers should be in top form. There are a variety of golf sand applications to choose from that comply with USGA standards. Maintaining bunkers can be difficult work if the sand is chosen based on subjective criteria. To reduce the amount of upkeep and stress on the staff, be diligent in choosing the proper sand for the proper climate to keep your course as pristine as possible.
The purpose of divot sand seems obvious. It’s a certain type of sand that’s used to repair those chunks of grass/green that are removed by the swing of a golf club. This is an ever present fact of golf course maintenance; often enough to call for a special type of sand used to repair it. But divot sand isn’t just regular sand, it’s a specifically formulated sand to improve future repair of divots.
Typically, divot sand is mixed with grass seed and sometimes dyed green or left natural sand color. The reason golf courses use sand is because the divot can be repaired quickly and smoothed in a way to facilitate consistent ball speed. It’s dyed green primarily for aesthetic reasons. No one wants to play golf on a course that looks like one big bunker. Regardless of color, divot sand creates a uniform look that evens out the course and maintains its proper greenness and playability.
Obviously just sand by itself cannot hold a course together forever and eventually the grass will need to grow back. The seed mixed in with the divot sand allows for a faster regrowth of the grass that has been chucked out of the ground. The sand acts as a medium that retains the proper amount of nutrients and water to foster growth.
Divot sand that combines both the proper sand and grass seed is ideal to repair divots created on a golf course. They need to be dealt with promptly and using the correct materials is essential to ensure proper course maintenance. The happiness of your golfers matters most, followed by the course’s bottom line. Both of these can be satisfied by using the proper materials to effectively preserve a great looking and great playing golf course.At River Sand Inc we carry a variety of USGA approved topdressing, divot and bunker sand to help properly maintain your golf course.
The goal of any golf course, especially the putting green, is a slick, playable surface that can be maintained for years without a major course overhaul. To obtain this ideal, it’s important to build the course properly and pay special attention to the construction of the rootzone (soil). The USGA has tested and recommended a certain topdressing mixture that will ensure top-notch golf course greens that, properly maintained, will provide golfers with the type of course they expect.
Golf is best played on sandy, infertile soil. This is because the grass needs to be low and fast and a high amount of turf growth on fertile soil will not provide ideal playing conditions. The best results for the greens will be obtained by using a mixture that is at least 60% medium and coarse sand. This is the USGA recommendation for good reason because this mixture will ensure a good balance of particles used for drainage after a heavy rain, and proper moisture control to avoid dehydrating the soil.
If the sand particles are too coarse (such as gravel), you run the risk of drying out the soil. Similarly, very fine particles like those found in clay and silt should also be minimized to reduce the risk of clogging the space needed for proper rootzone growth. However, these should not be avoided entirely because the fine particles in clay particularly provide certain nutrient-holding capabilities that are positive for the health of the grass.
You’ll also want to avoid organic matter within the mixture. The point of topdressing is to remove excessive amounts of organic matter from the layer on the surface of the soil known as thatch. It doesn’t make much sense to use something composed of organic matter to remove an excess of organic matter. Today’s mixtures contain mostly sand, along with other inorganic additives like volcanic rock, and diatomaceous earth. The type of sand mixture you use is dependent on the type of grass you’re trying to cultivate, what the existing soil is composed of, and especially the climate as certain mixtures will do better in, say, a cooler climate.
The key to a great golf course is a beautiful, sweeping lawn. This is achieved through proper cultivation and maintenance. Using the appropriate topdress is essential to this process. RSI provides topdressing mixtures that meet all of the USGA standards that have been thoroughly researched and proven effective to provide the type of course expected by today’s competitive golfers.
Spring is coming — Are your golf course’s bermuda grasses, bunker sand and divot sand ready?
Spring can sneak up on your fast — especially if you’re in charge of maintaining a golf course. Now is the time to make sure your course’s bermuda grasses and bunker sand are ready.
Here are some things you’ll need to address before the warm weather hits.
Topdressing and Bermuda Grasses
Topdressing this time of year is a must. It’s likely that the mild winter has caused the bermuda grasses on your greens to start growing sooner than previous years. USGA topdressing helps with smoothing the putting surface and aids in recent off-season renovations or cut changes made to greens. This time of year is perfect for setting application frequency and selecting an ideal topdressing for your course.
Divot Sand
With damp spring conditions and above average temps, it’s important to emphasize the use of divot sand. It’s likely your course grounds have certain areas of soil saturation. For most courses, this means you’ll be seeing bigger divots both on the fairways and greens. Having optimized divot sand can motivate growth of your bermuda grasses, increase course health and allow your course to handle the increased load of early spring play.
Address Bunker Sand Issues
The South, like other areas around the country, has seen ample precipitation. It’s likely that precipitation impacted your bunker sand in various ways. With heavy rain, bunker sand can be displaced to low lying areas or compact, making play unnecessarily difficult. Grooming bunkers in the early season will let you see the impact a mild, wet winter has had on your course and allow you to make any needed changes to the sand for the remainder of the season. Having groomed and playable bunkers can make play more enjoyable for your patrons and less stressful for your grounds crew going forward.
Need help getting your course in top shape?
River Sand Inc. specializes in golf course sands and materials along the precise USGA sand standards. That means you’ll have the most beneficial and playable sand available today. Whether you’re looking for high-grade divot sand to help with post-play repairs or replacing old greenside bunkers, you’ll find what you need at River Sand Inc. For questions about any of golf-specific products or to receive a quote on any of our sand applications, contact us today.
Golf bunker sand has to be the perfect size to provide the stability and cushion golf courses need.
Golf course maintenance is a challenging enterprise for even the most experienced superintendent. In addition to maintaining the height of the grass blades and condition of the tees, there is also the state of the bunker to consider. It may not seem like a huge undertaking to the untrained eye, but make no mistake, there is much planning involved in creating and maintaining the perfect sand trap. One of the issues to be carefully considered is the particle size of the bunker sand itself.
Bunker sand has two purposes
The main goals of a properly constructed bunker is the sand’s ability to cushion the ball and foot traffic stability. The point of the bunker is that it’s a penalty, adding difficulty to the game. So, when the ball lands there, it should neither bounce out or be buried so deep that it’s impossible to play.
At the same time, the one who aims to get the ball out of the bunker needs stable footing to do so. Sand that is too hard or too soft will cause not only problems for the lie of the ball but also for the golfer attempting to play on.
Particle size makes all the difference
The particle size of the sand will take care of both of these issues simultaneously. After rigorous testing, it’s been found that the best performing sands for bunker play are angular rather than round and contain a very small amount of clay, silt and very fine sand particles. All of these issues affect the lie of the ball and will contribute either positively or negatively to the impact of a golf ball.
Poorly sized bunker sand is damaging
There are several reasons why it’s necessary to be selective about bunker sand. For starters, if the particles are too small, like in a mixture with too much silt or clay, then the bunker has the potential to “set-up” or crust over too often, creating an undesirable playing surface. Similarly, because golfers tend to spray sand when attempting a shot out of the bunker, large particles can compromise the integrity of the putting green, and damage mowers and make greens unpredictable.
Mid-sized sand is best
A good standard is to choose the sand that’s in the middle range particle size. Any extreme has the potential to cause problems. Steer clear of mixtures that are too fine or too coarse, too angular or too round. You want to look for bunker sand that’s appropriate for your climate as well. For instance, it may be necessary to use quick draining sand in wet climates.
We’ll help you choose the right sand for your course
Choosing the correct particle size for your bunker is an important consideration when designing or redesigning a golf course. By picking the right type you can ensure an active bunker that requires little maintenance, happy golfers, and healthy greens. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about our bunker sand applications and what grain type is ideal for your course.
Keep your golf course bermuda grasses gorgeous through the winter with these simple tips.
There are some definite pros and cons to winter on the golf course. One pro is that less people play during the cold months, and less foot traffic means less damage to the course’s bermuda grasses. However, winter is harsh for plant life. It’s not uncommon to wind up at the beginning of spring with several dead patches of grass scattered around the course. Winter damage is rough, but there are a few things you can do to minimize it.
Prepare your bermuda grasses for hibernation
Bears load up on food prior to hibernation and use that stored energy throughout the winter months. The food, essentially, allows the bear to remain healthy and robust during hibernation. Bermuda grasses are similar in that they need to be provided with another layer of specific fertilizer and treatment to increase heartiness to last through a cold winter. The grass will use the fertilizer as food throughout the winter to remain healthy.
Proper drainage is key
Proper drainage is essential to the health of any plant life, and golf course turf is no exception. Before the winter months set in, make sure that all of the bunker sand and greens are draining properly and completely to prevent puddles and increased standing water.
Insulate against harsh winter winds
Interestingly enough, research suggests that if the course is covered in snow, you should leave it. The snow actually provides a great insulating layer between the vulnerable bermuda grasses and the harsh winter winds.
A similar insulation can be provided from topdressing, which will reduce the accumulation of organic matter on the turf such as decomposing leaves and plants from fall. It’s also good practice to add a layer of topdressing to the course prior to winter. This will also help the bermuda grass maintain a more consistent temperature, making rebound in the spring much more efficient.
Brace your course — Winter is coming
The fall should be used as preparation time for the winter. Maintaining proper drainage cannot be overstated and by adding fertilizer to sustain growth and topdressing to provide warmth and protection you can effectively prevent the harshness of winter from doing serious damage to your course.
Need help prepping your golf course bermuda grasses for winter?
Riversand Inc. is your local expert on great-looking golf courses. We’ve got everything you need to keep your golf course looking its best all year long. Give us a call today at 877.499.7263 or visit us online at www.riversandinc.com.
