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By David Shelton in {CATEGORY} on 20 Jul 2012

Few soils will drain fast enough to allow golf to be played in comfort after a period of prolonged rain, but effective drainage techniques can make a huge difference to the speed in which water will drain away.

Sportsturf drainage experts Shelton SDS share their 7 steps for successful fairway drainage that will keep your costs down:

1. Pipe depth:
The size and correct positioning of the pipe is vital as it has the job of drawing the moisture elsewhere. Many golf courses are built on clay soils, which are almost impermeable to moisture, so excess water will simply sit on top of it. For the best results lateral pipes should be around 500mm deep and main drains around 600mm deep. Installing pipes even 200-300mm deeper can be a waste of money. Drains which are placed too close to the surface can be damaged by future surface aeration operations.

2. Pipe layout:
The 'flag layout' gives the best results for fairway drainage as the main drain runs down the side of the fairway - possibly in the rough, and the junctions are clear of the closely mown areas. This method gives better results than the traditional 'herringbone layout' where the soil water is taken to the centre of the fairway, where most golfers will be playing.

3. Pipe spacing:
Cost is generally the major factor when deciding how far apart to place the lateral drains, but a spacing of 10m would be considered the maximum, whilst 7m or 5m is preferable on the wetter parts of the course. Spacing can be wider if a secondary drainage system is superimposed over the pipe system.

4. Pipe size:
Size is important, but bigger isn't better when it comes to land drainage. Plastic land drainage pipes have small slits cut into them so the water can flow into the pipe; as this happens it takes fine soil particles with it. Where there is a good flow of water these particles are flushed away and this can be helped by using a smaller pipe of 50mm 60mm, or 80mm in diameter. In larger pipes where water flow is more sluggish, the soil particles will simply sit in the bottom and create a build up, reducing effectiveness.

5. Trench Size:
The most cost effective technique is to cut a trench which is slightly wider than the diameter of the pipe; the forces in the soil will close the trench walls 15-20mm soon after digging allowing the pipe to fit snugly in the trench. Many modern sportsturf trenching machines work on the same principles as a large circular saw, cutting trenches with considerable precision. Paying close attention to the size of the trench can result in big cost savings as less aggregate is required to backfill the trench.

6. Fall:
It may sound obvious that water doesn't flow uphill, but all your good work can go to waste if the pipes do not have adequate fall on them allowing the water to run away. Specialist contractors use laser-guided machines to ensure pipes are installed at greater depths through mounds and ridges.

7. Timing:
The best advice has got to be to, 'plan the work when it's wet and do it when it's dry'. Working in wet soils creates damage to the soil structure, but waiting until things dry up a bit means drainage work can be carried out speedily, so there is minimal disruption and greater recovery.
On heavy soil or courses in wetter parts of the country, a secondary system may need to be installed for the best results, but a well installed primary pipe system is a cost effective first step and can achieve great results.

Shelton SDS design, manufacture and sell specialist sportsturf drainage machinery which is sold all over the world. They pride themselves on being the industry experts and engineering high quality robust machines which provide their customers with excellent results.

About Shelton
Shelton SDS is a global business, based in Baumber, near Horncastle in Lincolnshire, with over 100 years of drainage experience in the team! Shelton's machines are sold all over the world and the overseas business is growing fast in over 20 different countries. www.sheltonsdrainage.com

Taken from an article written by David Shelton

Read more articles in {CATEGORY}, by David Shelton or from July 2012.