UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS ARE IMPERATIVE FOR GOLF COURSE PLAYABILITY YEAR ROUND
In B.C.’s Lower Mainland, the most important part of golf course playability is controlling the amount of water in the rootzone of putting greens. For three months, starting in July to September, adding water to the turf is done via an underground irrigation system. For the other nine months of the year, from October to June, removing water is done by an underground drainage pipe system.
The Burnaby Mountain Golf Course has an upgraded underground irrigation system which was installed in 2002 for watering greens in the summer. However, for a number of putting greens, a viable underground drainage pipe system is just not possible. Specifically in the photo below, the Number 3 greens drainage system has failed because it's more than 30 years old and needs to be replaced. Because of the fine turf on putting greens, installation of an underground drainage system is labour intensive and requires a crew of 5-7 workers.
Pictured are the tools required. A laser level in the foreground ensures that the pipes are installed accurately to the grade/flow of water, and the trenchers, pictured on the right, remove the old sandy soil (click here to see a video of the trencher in action). The rest of the hard work is done with shovels.
This ensures that once the water infiltrates into the rootzone soil of the greens, the water has somewhere to go. It collects in the two inch clothed drain pipe and exits the putting green creating a drier surface year round.
These new design dewatering systems are able to remove more than 50 mm/hr of surface and soil water.
All of Riverway’s putting greens have this system of underground drain pipes which were installed during the original construction. Because Burnaby Mountain is an older golf course, only the newer renovated greens have the integrated network of trenches and pipes.
This golf course improvement project will ensure that all of Burnaby Mountain’s putting greens have underground drainage.
WHAT DOES UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE DO?
- Drainage quickly removes water from soil and produces dry soil, which creates dry turf conditions.
- Drier turf conditions improve playability all year long, especially from October to June when Metro Vancouver usually receives over 100cm of rainfall in 9 months.
- Drainage produces drier soils which are stronger and resist compaction more than wet soils.
- Drainage produces better playability with less ball marks.
- Plants (like animals) require oxygen to survive and drainage removes water from the soil profile which in turn increases the amount of oxygen in the soil.
Without underground drainage, soils can become quickly waterlogged. Wet soil makes play difficult and in some conditions even unplayable. Drainage removes water from turf surfaces and ensures sooner return to playable conditions all year long.
