Golf Greens Mowing Clippings

Clippings will invariably be boxed off, especially at times of annual meadow grass seed head production, producing a cleaner surface on which to putt – few golfers would want small clippings of grass leaves attaching to the golf ball influencing the roll and planned destination, i.e. into the cup. However, during prolonged dry periods letting clippings occasionally fly can help to produce the grass crown and to reduce moisture loss during those heat stressed times.

The quantity of grass removed per cut per green should not be excessive otherwise the weight of the grass in the collection box will produce a slight reduction in cutting height, which may be noticeable towards the end of the mowing session for a green if the box had not been emptied when no more than half-full. If two or three boxes of clippings are being removed from a typical sized green (500m²) green then this will indicate that growth is too excessive and may likely have been encouraged by abundant water and nutrient availability, which can sometimes occur one-to-two weeks after application of a fertiliser and when irrigation has been continuously overapplied. This might be an indicator to review working practices as excessive grass growth is not desirable from a golf green. What is needed is gradual sward development, which is resilient and sturdy.

The emptying of boxes (not full boxes) every three greens might indicate that good healthy growth is taking place, whilst if boxes are not needed to be emptied for at least 6 greens then this can indicate that the greens are experiencing very slow growth, possibly due to drying conditions, and that mowing frequency can be reduced to help reduce the stress exerted on the sward.

Heathland and links courses with minimal nutrient and irrigation input might only see between one and two boxes needing to be emptied per 18-greens.