Golf Fairways Dew Removal

The removal of dew from fairways may, or may not, be carried out. This does very much depend on available resources, expectations of members and whether this is really necessary in most cases. For most courses this would not be carried out, however, allowance might be made for this on the morning of a tournament, again so long as this had been forward planned and adequate resources made available.

Dew removal can be carried out quite rapidly on fairways with the use of a long hose attached to two utility vehicles which move in parallel down a fairway, with the hose dispersing most of the dew, although this will depend on evenness and slopes within a fairway. The time taken could be in the region of 1.5-2 hours to de-dew the fairways on a course, meaning 4 person hours as two people will be needed for this activity. Alternatively, a large width drag-brush, such as the SISIS 5.35m wide Flexibrush (a 6-sectioned angled brush) could also be used.

Drag-brushing, besides for the removal of dew, might also be carried out prior to mowing to help raise up grasses to produce a cleaner cut, but can also be used as a means to disperse earthworm casts. The use of powered rotary brushes, such as the Charterhouse Top-brush with a width of 6m, in three-sections and being hydraulically powered, could be used alone or as a complement to a drag-brush when drying and then dispersing surface casts.

Drag-brushing or power brushing can also maintain a well-presented and striped fairway in between cuts, especially when growth is minimal and over the later autumn and winter period when ground conditions are suitable and when mowing is not needed to dormancy of the grass plant.