Golf Greens Mowing Timings 
The typical time to cut 18-greens with a triple mower might be 3-3½ hours (excluding pre-start checks and post use clean down, which might be another 30 minutes, or more), whilst cutting with a pedestrian mower might take 6 to 8 hours.
The actual times will depend on several factors, including the size of the greens and the distance needing to be travelled between greens, the competence of the greenkeeper with that machine as well as how tired or not they may be. For the pedestrian mower consideration in timings will also include whether it has to travel between greens with transpor
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Golf Greens Overseeding
Overseeding will also typically take place at the same time as top-dressing, although not where monthly top-dressings are practiced.
Overseeding with grass species which produce optimum playing surfaces has traditionally been with Chewings fescue and Browntop bent and these continue to be the main stay of most golf greens.
The growth of grass is not a uniform activity which produces a consistently even surface, growth is variable between species and cultivars. A greenkeeper needs to undertake a range of activities to produce a surface with uniform coverage – density and evenness of gra
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Golf Greens Pests
Earthworm casts, when present in relatively large number, can be a major maintenance and cosmetic problem. Damp casts will stick to the front and rear rollers of cylinder mowers, potentially increasing the cut height slightly if not regularly cleaned off. Casts will smear when brushed whilst moist causing potential problems of smothering the grass especially if they are not brushed again or switched once the sward and casts have dried in the day. In addition, the negative impact casts can have on ball roll and direction of putt can be considerable.
For much of the year, whe
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Golf Greens Rolling
Rolling, using a ride-on tandem type roller, as a ‘polish’ or light firming might be considered on occasions during the summer period to improve green speeds without causing undue compaction. If light rolling is carried out, then additional surface aeration will also be needed.
One example of these types of roller is the Tru-Turf R50-11 greens roller, which has a weight of 330kg, providing a ground pressure of 3.8psi. An adult human might have atypical ground pressure of 2.5 – 3.5psi.
Optional spiker or slitter units can also be connected underneath the chassis to work at the same time
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Golf Greens Scarification and Verticutting
Scarification and verticutting on a regular basis will help to prevent and control the development of thatch build-up and will also keep the surface layer open and free from decaying organic matter of cut and uncut leaves as well as plant sheaths.
Grass leaves having a relatively short life span, especially over the main growing season and these turn yellow and brown off when dying and need to be cleaned out from the sward if a uniform colour appearance is to be maintained throughout the year. These activities will help to maintain a surface which is healthier, has improved air-flow amongs
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Golf Greens Top-Dressing
Top-dressing is an important activity which should not be neglected, with a sandy, with organic elements, material being ideal. Various top-dressing periods can be considered, from traditional spring and early autumn applications, to regular very light dressings during the playing season at monthly intervals. The shorter the routine cut of the greens the more frequent the application of top-dressing, but tis will also depend on the intensity and amount of play that takes place. For greens cut at 5mm for most of the year two applications as a minimum might be typical, for 4mm cut greens this mi
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Golf Greens Type of Mower
The use of a pedestrian or ride-on triple cylinder mower can provide for interesting perspectives, but a majority of greenkeepers would indicate that a pedestrian mower will produce a higher quality cut than a triple mower. Much of this will, however, be due to personal preference and influenced by the quality of the mower, how well it has been maintained and set up and the skill of the user.
If there is a qualitative difference between a triple mower and pedestrian mower than this could be argued to be negligible, if at all in some cases, although nearly all modern mowers are finely engin
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Golf Greens Use of Pesticides
Where pesticides and other chemical products are used, this must be in a responsible way and one in which all other actions have been undertaken to reduce the need for their use in the first place. The use of Integrated Pest / Turf Management, or similar, in reducing the need for pesticides and then only as a last resort should be foremost in managing a golf course, even though the focus of pesticides is usually on the greens. Whilst many course managers will use pesticides as a last resort, many also apply them as a matter of routine, without questioning their need, efficacy or cost effective
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Golf Greens Weeds
Weeds on a golf green can detract from the production of a very fine uniform surface. Small weeds such as clover/trefoils, pearlwort, yarrow, have been called the “Troublesome Trio” (Sutton, M.A.F. (1962) ‘Lawns and Sports Grounds’, pp105-109) and also parsley piert can be routinely weakened and reduced by scarification and verticutting.
Where selective herbicide is to be applied then it should be when the grass plant and weeds are growing strongly: typically, this will be during May to early June on established swards, and the minimum period stated on the herbicide label for newly sown tu
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Golf Rough Aeration
Aeration of the semi-rough, primarily with the use of slit tines as these can often cover the ground quite speedily, might be carried out occasionally, possibly in the early spring and then again in the early autumn. Other tines and aeration equipment can obviously be considered as well.
Grounds maintenance vehicular traffic as well as golfers will not be using much of the semi-rough, but most likely localised areas that are used for short cuts or commonly areas for mishit shots. These localised area of use and wear will be those that are targeted for more intensive and frequent aeration,
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