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Driving Range Tee Maintenance

9 posts
  1. Brian Lentz
    Brian Lentz avatar
    0 posts
    11/29/2012 7:11 PM
    How many of you topdress the tee regiously every Monday? Our tees are average in size and we topdress it regularly enough for it to heal by the time the stands get back to the same location. We may not do it every Monday due to other activities but usually do it at some point in the week. We have one vocal member who believes it should be done every Monday with no exceptions. Any information on your schedules would be appreciated.

    Brian Lentz
    Lakewood Ranch G&CC
    Florida



  2. Douglas Eggert
    Douglas Eggert avatar
    1 posts
    11/29/2012 7:11 PM
    I have a .40 acre range tee at a muni golf course.... I overseed divots Monday through Friday, including holidays. This tee started out as bent, added low mow blue, then low mow blue and rye, and now I use straight rye in the cooler months and the mix in the warmer months.

    If i don't do maintenance everyday the place looks uninviting to use. This tee is heavily used by 4 high school teams in the fall and we have heavy outing usage June through August. I have one guy who maintains the range all the time.

    As for just doing a broadcast topdressing, it only occurs after fall overseed and aeration, and before we close and cover the tee.

    I leave the covers on long enough in the spring to germinate some lingering seed in the spring.

    Good luck.



  3. Andy Jorgensen
    Andy Jorgensen avatar
    1 posts
    11/30/2012 2:11 PM
    Daily here. Our cart guys do it as part of their evening routines. When performed daily, it takes them about half a cart full and 30 minutes. They spread with a shovel and levelawn smooth.

    In the winter, we'll overseed the divot areas about once per week ourselves. Cart guy still topdresses like normal.



  4. Wydra David A
    Wydra David A avatar
    12/4/2012 12:12 PM
    We have 2.3 acres of DR tees. Divots are filled every Thursday (with a rye blend), and we topdress heavily 2-3 times a year. We've had complaints about the tee surface being "fluffy", and are expected to make them more firm. Yet the powers that be keep chopping our line item budget for topdressing sand. Funny how that works.



  5. Jeff Strother
    Jeff Strother avatar
    0 posts
    12/4/2012 7:12 PM
    We do ours every couple days with a shovel & levelawn as well. We position the stands starting in the back and move them forward each day, that way yesterday's divots are always behind the players and we can get behind them and fill practically anytime. We may stay a day behind so we aren't in their backswing close, but never have any issues or complaints from guys filling divots behind players. When the stands get to the front of the tee, they are moved over and back to the rear and it starts over. By the time they come back around they are completely filled in.

    They get enough sand put down on them doing this that we don't really do a broadcast topdressing except in the summertime when we do an aggressive verticut and aerification when we are closed. We have non-overseeded seashore paspalum, so our tee can withstand more traffic than bermudagrass and much more than any cool season variety.



  6. Brian Lentz
    Brian Lentz avatar
    0 posts
    12/6/2012 4:12 PM
    Thanks guys, we decided to create a new Practice Area Attendant position to topdress the tee daily, he'll also be in charge of mowing the tees and berumdagrass around the clubhouse. I think having someone in view on a daily basis will help silence my more vocal members.

    Brian Lentz
    Lakewood Ranch, Fla



  7. Smith Tim
    Smith Tim avatar
    12/10/2012 7:12 AM
    2/3 guys every Monday when the shotgun event heads out. It stays in good shape and is a good job for the laborers.



  8. Curtis Nickerson
    Curtis Nickerson avatar
    0 posts
    12/10/2012 7:12 PM
    Hey Brian,
    Seems you have a fix but since we are close I thought I would share... We have a very small range tee and offer unlimited range balls to all players!!! So needless to say I don't have a lot of grass left, but we have a guy similar to yours whom sands the range tee daily, mows it 3x week then mows the croquet and nursery greens (both mowed at .140 with the same mower) it works for us but as I say, I don't have much grass left after each week.



  9. Gartland Neil E
    Gartland Neil E avatar
    12/10/2012 9:12 PM
    If your club allows...find a older gentleman that will volunteer his time in exchange for golf or some other perk...I work at a public course and this works. I require 15-20 hrs/week of work.



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