double cutting or double mowed fairway Cancel The title field is required!

1. Steven Fowler

   

   0 posts
   
   5/25/2013 9:05 PM

   I have this question on double cutting? I have in the pass double cutting or double mowed Greens but I have moved to a different course and the mechanic/assistant has been double cutting fairways. He will cut back on the line of the fairway that he just cut, or against the last cut he made. I have always cut 90 degrees or 45 degrees to the cut, but not 180 degrees!
   
   What are your thoughts on this type of double cutting, Pro's or Con's?
   
   Steve Fowler
   Lander Wy
   
   Ps. The time it takes to double cut is all day long for 18 fairways.

   
   
   
   
2. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   5/25/2013 10:05 PM

   We do it on greens weekly. I call it a backtrack double cut. I just feel like anything that gets laid over from one direction gets cleaned up coming back on it. I don't have the time, manpower or desperate need to do this on fairways. I do have a couple fairways that get a little grainy partway through the summer and then I will circle mow these a few times.

   
   
   
   
3. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   5/26/2013 5:05 AM

   Ditto what Keith said regarding direction. As for need, we have only double cut fairways when the grass has been too long to only mow once. Usually after an extended wet period.

   
   
   
   
4. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   5/26/2013 9:05 AM

   I know of a course that I think just mowed fairways on the 45 degree angles and the the "6-12" on fairways (2-8, 10-4). About once a month he would actually mow 3-9 and I was amazed at the grass he would be cutting. From that experience I started doing the same thing and saw the same results.
   
   This was in northern Indiana on bent/poa/rye mixes. I don't know what this other superintendent mowed his fairways at, but we mowed ours at .565" to .600"
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
5. Justin VanLanduit

   

   0 posts
   
   5/26/2013 6:05 PM

   Steve,
   
   We do all sorts of different cutting directions. We normally burn our lines in for the season, whether it be checker board pattern or half n half. When we mow checker board we will throw in a 3-9 cut about every other week and will once in awhile cut back against. We have double cut before by mowing the pass and then coming back on that same past in the opposite direction. I do notice we get a good amount of grass still when we come back against. Like others we'll utilize this on greens as well, think it helps pull back laid over material.

   
   
   
   
6. Steven Fowler

   

   0 posts
   
   5/27/2013 9:05 PM

   The problem that I am beginning to see is some waves in the fairway and am becoming worry that there is a problem, but the Mech. believes that this is the only way to cut and burn lines into the fairways.

   
   
   
   
7. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   5/28/2013 5:05 AM

   Who put the Mechanic in charge?
   
   Regards,
   
   Steve

   
   
   
   
8. Larry Allan

   

   0 posts
   
   5/28/2013 7:05 AM

   Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: Who put the Mechanic in charge?
   
   Regards,
   
   Steve

   
   And why do er want to burn in lines. Is that a southern indestructible grass thing? My mowers stripe every direction any time

   
   
   
   
9. Keith Lamb

   

   3 posts
   
   5/28/2013 7:05 AM

   Steven Fowler said: The problem that I am beginning to see is some waves in the fairway and am becoming worry that there is a problem, but the Mech. believes that this is the only way to cut and burn lines into the fairways.

   
   
   Circle mow to clean them up. Tell mechanic to keep them sharp and you will worry about mowing patterns.

   
   
   
   
10. Sean Hoolehan

    

    0 posts
    
    5/28/2013 8:05 AM

    Steve,
    
    I can barely get my fairways cut once and stay ahead of play. I have KGB/Per.Rye/Poa fairways and the rye grass is tough and likes to tiller in the spring so mowers have to be sharp and ground speed has to be slow to get a good clean cut even with sharp mowers. I spray Primo on my fairways to control spring flush. It helps a lot. I burn-in lines on fairways, and cross cut or reverse the burn when fairways get wavy (about every 2 weeks). I keep them on Primo all season. Backtrack mowing fairways seems pretty inefficient.
    
    Sean