Did you know? Vol. 1 - Mowing Heights & Frequency

I'm a big believer that golfers better understand how and why we do what we do if we take the time to EDUCATE them and not simply TELL them what we are doing.  I find it a bit odd that I can be having a turf management related conversation with someone who has been a golfer/member for years and years (or decades and decades in some cases) only to discover that they have very little knowledge or understanding of "what we do".  That being said, I've decided this winter to piece together some blog entries titled "Did you know?" to shed some light on some of the routine and not-so-routine aspects of golf course maintenance.

Mowing Heights & Frequency

These are two very key aspects of turf maintenance that very few golfers have any knowledge of.  They just know we cut the grass low and somewhat regularly.  How low and how often you ask?  Here are some examples of our mowing heights and frequencies here at Quilchena:

Greens:

• We mow our greens at 3 different heights-of-cut (HOC) based on time of year and/or turf conditions.  During the summer months we mow them at .110" - that's equivalent to the thickness of a standard house key.  Mowing heights this low are set and checked by using an ACCU-GAGE measuring device that provide precise and accurate measurements in .001" increments.  During the spring and fall "shoulder seasons" we mow them at .135" - slightly higher than the summer months to better withstand the cooler and wet conditions.  During the winter months we mow them at .156" - again to better withstand the cold and sometimes sub-zero wet conditions.

ACCU-GAGE

• Mowing frequency of greens is strictly dependent on a few different variables such as: turf conditions, weather patterns, staffing levels, cultural practices and time constraints due to shotgun starts, crossovers, etc.  We typically mow the greens 4-5 times per week in the summer months - sometimes less often and sometimes more often.  On days that we do not mow, we roll the greens to achieve desired green speeds.  During the shoulder seasons, we mow them less frequent and usually determine when to do so based on weather - when the weather cooperates, we mow as often as we can because we know the opportunities to mow them this time of year becomes less and less frequent.

Tees, collars and approaches:

• We mow our tees, collars and approaches at 2 different HOC during the golfing season.  During the summer months we mow them at .325" - about the height of a standard ballpoint pen laying flat.  During the shoulder seasons and winter months we mow them at .5"
• Mowing frequency of tees, collars and approaches is dependent on the same variables that apply for greens.  We typically mow these areas 2-3 times per week and adjust to once a week in the should seasons and eventually to an as needed basis during the winter.

Fairways:

• Like tees, collars and approaches, we mow our fairways at 2 different HOC throughout the year.  During the summer months we mow them at .400" - only 75/1000" higher than tees, collars and approaches resulting in a "tight" and dense turf canopy that withstands weed invasion, while still providing excellent lies for shot-making opportunities.  During the shoulder seasons and winter months we mow them at .500"
• Fairways are typically mowed 3 times per week in the summer months and 1-2 times per week in the shoulder seasons.  Again, like tees, collars and approaches, they are only mowed on an as needed basis during the winter months.

 Primary Cut:

• Also known as a "champ cut" or "perimeter cut", this refers the 6' wide transition cut between the fairways and rough that is mowed at a HOC between the two respective areas.  We also extend this cut at a narrower width (approx. 40") around the collars of our greens.  The HOC for our primary cut is .75" - this height still provides a great lie for those who narrowly miss the fairway.  We typically mow our primary cut 3 times a week in conjunction with our fairways in the summer months and reduce accordingly in the shoulder season and winter months.

Rough:

• We mow our rough here at Quilchena at a 1.75" HOC during the summer months.  This HOC is sometimes adjusted for tournaments, specifically sanctioned golf tournaments that provide us with requirements for rough heights.  During the shoulder seasons and winter, our HOC is slightly adjusted down to 1.5" to better mulch leaves and to provide a bit more forgiving rough since we are often at the mercy of the weather with regards to when we have an opportunity to mow it.  We are still working on creating a sandier and firmer profile in our rough and until this is accomplished it will be significantly "softer" than our already sandy fairways.  Our rough is completely mowed twice a week in the summer and shoulder seasons and only when we conditions allow in the winter.  So although our rough may appear and feel like it's 5" at times, rest assured it IS being mowed regularly!

Now THAT'S rough!

Stay tuned this winter for more "Did you know?" blog posts that may answer some of those questions you've been longing to ask!