Push Spreaders to Topdress Greens Cancel The title field is required!

1. Ethan Haveman

   

   0 posts
   
   11/1/2015 8:11 AM

   Hey all, looking into using push spreaders for light greens topdressing throughout the season, versus using our Dakota. Just wondering which spreaders people would/would not recommend. Any tips/hints would be appreciated. Thank you.

   
   
   
   
2. Cerminara Jamie L

   
   11/1/2015 9:11 AM

   From what I have experienced, the sand must be completely dry. For that reason, we used to purchase kiln dried, bagged sand.
   
   As far as spreaders we used what seems to be the industry standard, a Lesco commercial grade.
   
   Hope this helps, good luck.

   
   
   
   
3. Michael Bolles

   

   0 posts
   
   11/1/2015 3:11 PM

   Andersons Ap2000 seems to be the standard out in SoCal. Ive seen people use the Spyker pro series however, crew usually complains bc of the weight.

   
   
   
   
4. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   11/2/2015 8:11 AM

   Has to be dried sand. We switch this time of the year to kiln dried bulk sand and use Lesco commercial spreaders to spread. Usually 1 ton/ac every other week.

   
   
   
   
5. David Stout

   

   0 posts
   
   11/3/2015 5:11 PM

   We've used the andersons ap2000 to topdress throughout the winter/early spring. The problem isn't typically with the Dakota but with how or what you use to drag it in. Dried sand is a must or it will not work. It is labor intensive, but worth it when you get a warm week in December or January when you want to take advantage of that weather.

   
   
   
   
6. Corey Eastwood

   

   80 posts
   
   11/5/2015 11:11 AM

   I had very good luck with the Spyker. Well built and never had to replace one. Just used them for top dress.

   
   Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
   
   
7. Craig Moore

   

   0 posts
   
   11/5/2015 12:11 PM

   I am wondering why people do this? Seems like a waste of time and resources.
   Thoughts? ideas?

   
   
   
   
8. Patrick Reinhardt

   

   0 posts
   
   11/5/2015 3:11 PM

   Several reasons. To eliminate tire tracks on the greens from topdresser. Greens complexes/bunkering that limits machine. Ability to go at a very light rate.

   
   
   
   
9. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   11/5/2015 3:11 PM

   Patrick Reinhardt said: Several reasons. To eliminate tire tracks on the greens from topdresser. Greens complexes/bunkering that limits machine. Ability to go at a very light rate.

   
   
   I get some of that, especially tight spaces, but I notice on our USGA greens (14) and push ups (4) we don't see tracking with our Terra Topper T-1 and we can go very light. Of course we don't have the resources to even walk mow let alone walk topdress. I was at another course with a Meter Matic 3 and was able to lightly topdress too.
   
   Do you think HOC plays a factor? We do mow at .156"
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
10. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    11/6/2015 6:11 AM

    Craig Moore said: I am wondering why people do this? Seems like a waste of time and resources.
    Thoughts? ideas?

    
    
    Because the topdressing disappears into the canopy leaving no trace of sand on the surface. This is especially important during our prime golfing season from November through April when a regular topdressing would tend to linger around for a few days due to limited growth. We have also found that we can do all 21 greens faster with two guys pushing than with one guy using a ProPass and one guy dragging in. It is also more consistently applied using push spreaders.
    
    I thought like you Craig until we tried it last year.

    
    
    
    
11. Mark Patterson

    

    0 posts
    
    11/6/2015 10:11 AM

    Use Bagged sand from GASH when I was in Florida to topdress overseeded greens. Plan to do the same up here in Bama on my A1/A4 Bentgrass. Cleaner than spreading wet sand with spinner

    
    
    
    
12. Ethan Haveman

    

    0 posts
    
    11/9/2015 7:11 AM

    Real good content here-thanks gentlemen!

    
    
    
    
13. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    11/9/2015 4:11 PM

    I got wondering, those of you who do use push spreaders, are most of you on ultra dwarfs or cools season A1-A4 types of turf?
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
14. Corey Eastwood

    

    80 posts
    
    11/9/2015 6:11 PM

    Bent or Bent/Poa

    
    Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
    
    
15. Patrick Reinhardt

    

    0 posts
    
    11/11/2015 12:11 PM

    Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: I got wondering, those of you who do use push spreaders, are most of you on ultra dwarfs or cools season A1-A4 types of turf?
    
    Mel

    
    
    Both. We pretty much just ride topdress here, due to labor and cost. Have done it both ways though. Always pushed when had A-1 greens though.

    
    
    
    
16. Darren Graf

    

    0 posts
    
    11/11/2015 1:11 PM

    Guys,
    I usually topdress once a year after aeration, very heavy. It seems like the direction of the industry is light frequent topdressing so I have some questions.
    Dosen't the topdressing ruin the green mower blades causing more grinding? Which is more work for the mechanic.
    Are their obvious benefits?
    How much dry sand per green if you go light? One bag, Half a bag 2 bags?
    Thanks

    
    
    
    
17. Corey Eastwood

    

    80 posts
    
    11/11/2015 1:11 PM

    Spyker wide open = 1 bag per 4000 sq ft

    
    Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
    
    
18. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    11/11/2015 8:11 PM

    Darren S Graf said: Guys,
    I usually topdress once a year after aeration, very heavy. It seems like the direction of the industry is light frequent topdressing so I have some questions.
    Dosen't the topdressing ruin the green mower blades causing more grinding? Which is more work for the mechanic.
    Are their obvious benefits?
    How much dry sand per green if you go light? One bag, Half a bag 2 bags?
    Thanks

    
    
    From what I've seen is it makes our greens smoother, ball rolls truer, they seem a little faster, although for us at .156" they don't get super fast, but I think between 9 - 10' plenty fast enough for our seniors. It can mess up blades, we will roll for a few days, on heavier applications we will put an old set of reels on. Also agronomically I believe it keeps the thatch diluted. We use a old Terra Topper spinning topdresser.
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
19. Andy Jorgensen

    

    1 posts
    
    11/13/2015 8:11 AM

    We go at a rate of 1 ton/acre of the dry sand. At this rate, the sand falls down in the canopy and it is hard to tell we even did it...so, no mower pick-up and no damage to bedknifes. However, during the summer months when we go heavier with the Toro ProPass, yes, we screw bedknifes up really bad. But, we are typically changing bedknifes out every couple of weeks, so this really isn't an issue.